Slices of Life
by DazedInReality
Summary: Ash and Tory, Bride and Vane, Wren and Maggie. Ever wonder what they did after the final full stop? Read small snippets and snatches of the everyday life of some of SK's best characters. These are literally short and sweet. Note: rating may change. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Slices of Life**

**Bride squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, this was it. The moment of truth. She raised her foot very slowly and holding that deep breath launched herself on to the scales. For a heartbeat she stood completely motionless as if she were waiting for something drastic to happen, like the roof to cave in or the floor to fall out from under her. With another fortifying breath Bride peeled open one eye and peeked at the scales, unable to believe what she was seeing she snapped open her other eye to look down at those glorious numbers. She'd lost weight! And not just meagre pounds, she may have gone down a dress size or so! Bride jumped from the scales and raced, in her matching black underwear, to her bedroom where she examined herself in front of her full length mirror. She turned and twisted this way and that, she didn't want to delude herself but … she actually did look smaller! All these weeks of secret hard dieting, of never checking the scales in front of Vane or weighing out portions of food had finally paid off. Bride checked the door, the baby was taking his nap and Vane was checking up on Fury so no one would catch her. Bride struck a mildly sexy pose in front of the mirror and marvelled at the fact that her back no longer had deep creases and rolls in it anymore, it was still there but the new toned look was the type she'd seen on plus size models. Bride reached up and pulled her hair from its band letting her auburn curls cascade around her shoulders, free from the band the curls looked sexily rumpled, again Bride struck a pose that was entirely too seductive. She could not help a blush stealing over her face when she thought of what Vane would do if he'd walked in on her now, they'd probably never make it to the bed. **

**Bride went to her closet and dug into the back, she pulled out a beautiful black dress, the type that every woman had in the back of their wardrobe. It could be worn casual or classy; it was an all occasion's simple yet chic dress that Bride had never been able to wear. She took hold of the tag and frowned down at the big black numbers there: size 16. A small size 16 was what it looked like, Bride felt a nagging doubting feeling in her mind, it wouldn't fit, she just knew it. But curiosity got the better of her, she unzipped the back.**

"**Please don't let the scales be faulty," she mumbled and slowly slipped her feet into the dress, she worked it up her thighs and felt the fabric tighten, she nearly cried. The scales had to be faulty if her perfect little black dress didn't fit, how totally, unbelievably unfair -**

"**Ah!" Bride exclaimed with delight, she noticed the zipper wasn't fully down, Bride quickly pulled it down the whole way and started the process again. There was something elicit and decadent in the feel of the thin, silken petticoat running up her thighs, Bride pulled it over her stomach, delighted when their was only a small paunch that a girdle would take care of. Bride got the off the shoulder sleeve bits in the right place and got the zipper part way up her back, she couldn't wait for Thanksgiving in a few weeks time. She'd be able to walk in the way her sister did, Deirdre could walk into the room with her head held high, knowing there was nothing on her body that was out of place or less then acceptable. Bride frowned at herself in the mirror, what was she doing? Sure she liked the dress and every woman liked to look sexy but the dress didn't make her feel that way. **

**Bride shook her head at herself and laughed, she was such a moron sometimes. Of course it wasn't the dress. It was Vane. He was the reason she was happy and secure enough to buy the damned dress in the first place, it was his love and passion and undying devotion to her, their son and their relationship that made her life so worthwhile. Bride took the dress off and hung it back in the closet, she paused before closing the door on it, it hung there looking so petite and seductive, rather then wanting her family to see it Bride couldn't wait for Vane to see her in it, she shut the door and turned to pull her baggy sweats on. She was just tying the cord on her sweats, which was another thrill as they felt looser, when Vane came through the doorway to their bedroom. Bride looked up and as expected his eyes were heated, clinging to the parts of her body he enjoyed the most, her breasts then sliding down to her ass. Feeling devilish Bride slapped at her rounded buttock to snap Vane out of his gawking, Vane blinked then grinned. Bride didn't pretend to feel offended by the way he looked at her, there was no feminist streak running strong through her telling her she was being objectified and looked at as simply a sexual object. It was nice to feel wanted for your body for a change when she'd always had to rely on her personality to get her dates, but then Vane loved that too. He loved everything about her, fat or thin, and she loved him, wolf or man. What woman wouldn't want their husband to look at them like they were a goddess even after seven years of marriage and childbirth?**

"**Hey baby," Vane said huskily, a soft growl vibrating in his throat. **

"**Hi," Bride replied with a laugh in her voice, Vane stalked into the room and sidled up behind her, rubbing his chest against her shoulder blades. He ran his finger slowly over the strap of her bra making Bride shiver, she reached for her t-shirt with no intention of putting it on, as she suspected Vane stopped her. He tugged it easily from her hands and threw it into the corner of the room, laying a soft, almost ticklish kiss on her bare shoulder. **

"**You are looking too sexy today, lady wolf," he rumbled in her ear, his hands sliding around her waist and rested on her abdomen. Bride smiled.**

"**I'm wearing sweats, Vane," she objected only half joking but Vane tucked his thumbs into her waist band only half listening. **

"**Sexy," he reiterated, Vane jerked her sweats down her long, smooth legs and nipped the back of her thigh, he pulled back and frowned.**

"**You've lost weight," Vane stated and Bride beamed but tried to be modest.**

"**Do you think so?" she said nonchalantly, Vane came to his feet before her again, still frowning, Bride tried not to roll her eyes, she knew what was coming. **

"**Have you been starving yourself?" he demanded to know and Bride laughed.**

"**No, Vane. I just lost weight, it's about time too. I've put in enough effort over the years."**

"**Why do you want to lose weight?" Vane asked as if she were mad, he liked her just as she was, there was nothing about her that he wanted her to change. Especially not for him. Besides he'd always liked his women to be more then just a broom stick with skin and hair, who the hell wants to hug someone you're frightened of breaking in half? **

"**Vane, it just happened. I eat sensibly when I can and then there's all that exercise you make me do."**

**Vane looked mortally offended and appalled, that was some shit her skank dickhead ex Taylor would have pulled. "What the hell -"**

"**Sex is exercise, you know?"**

"**Well, we can just put a -" Bride raised her eyebrow, knowing he was going to say put a stop to the sex, which was hilarious. Bride had never known a more sexual person then Vane. Vane realised what he was about to say and stopped, he shook his head and laughed. **

"**Fine, you win," Vane pulled Bride back into his arms and kissed her gently and slowly, "just don't go crazy with all this, okay? I love you just the way you are, you know that right?"**

"**Of course." Bride stroked her hand over his whiskered cheek and leant up for another kiss.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Slices of Life**

**Acheron flicked his fingers easily over the strings of his guitar, he was a little bored. Simi and Xiamara were visiting his mother in Kalosis, Alexion and Danger were in their private quarters and Urian was … somewhere. Worst of all his first choice for company was at Geary's, she'd invited him to join but he wasn't in the mood to leave Katateros.**

**"_Here without you baby _…" Ash mumbled his way through the chorus to a 3 doors down song he liked. "Shit -" He hit a bum note, "_but you're still on my lonely mind _…"**

**Ash sent a glance towards a photo that Tory had placed on the table by his throne; he stalled his hand for a moment so he could simply look at it. It was his favourite one, the one of Tory when she was fourteen on a boat with Geary, their arms wrapped around each other in wide brimmed hats and sun block. Ash swept his eyes over the throne room taking in the adjustments Tory had made to it, dotted here and there were side tables made of dark wood, plants and photographs. She'd done her best to convert Katateros's rather barren rooms and hallways into a large scale replica of her old home in New Orleans. She'd even got Danger and Simi to help in putting feminine touches everywhere. Ash looked back at the photo; it was simply a picture of love and joy, Ash's lips twisted sardonically, as he thought of his aunts. Chara (joy) and Agapa (love), this had once been their home, the home of the most powerful pantheon ever to exist, this throne room was where his mother and father would have held court with his aunts and uncles and the rest of his family. The family that had wanted him dead and ignited the events that led to their own demise, quite a few times over the years Ash had wished his mother had not saved him from them. His life up until Tory had been one of cruelty, depravity, bitter loneliness and unimaginable heartache.**

**"Ash?" Ash smiled when he heard Tory's voice calling to him and was caught off guard when she snapped a camera in his face. Ash blinked then frowned but Tory didn't see she was squeaking with delight as she checked out the photo on the small digital screen.**

**"Aww, baby, you look so sweet," Tory laughed and came forward to let him see the picture, Ash was shocked to see his likeness on the screen, he'd never allowed any pictures to be taken of him before. As a dark-hunter it was against the code, strictly forbidden and now, well … Ash mentally shrugged, photos had always only been for other people, for happy families. Ash felt a smile quirk his lips, but now he had family, he had Tory. Ash studied the photo, he didn't have his glasses on and even stagnant those horrid eyes of his swirled, he had a crooked, soft, half smile on his face, one that he reserved for Tory. It was the one he greeted her with before he opened his arms to welcome her in, he as bent slightly over the guitar and to Ash's mind he looked a little uncomfortable.**

**"Delete it," he said curling his lip, he didn't like to look at himself very much.**

**"Not on your life!" Tory said indignantly, Ash set the guitar aside and Tory took her place on his lap, Ash tucked his arm around her waist and watched over her shoulder as she flicked through the catalogue of pictures she'd taken.**

**"Where have you been today?" Ash almost laughed when she saw a picture of Kyrian and Tabitha, Kyrian was sending Tabitha a filthy look as she walked away from him eating what looked like the last piece of chocolate cake.**

**"I saw Amanda at the supermarket, she invited me back."**

**"I thought you were going to visit Geary?"**

**"I decided to go see Pam and Kim instead," Tory shrugged simply, she hitched herself higher on his knee before leaning back and holding the camera out in front of them. Just before she clicked the button Tory leant up and pressed her lips to his muscled jaw line, Ash smiled without thinking and the flash went, she turned it around eagerly and Ash held it still so he could see the picture of the two of them. For some reason it made his throat feel tight to see them together like that, they were like any other couple, young and in love. Tory laughed, "I'll call it me and Achimou!"**

**"No!"**

**"Why?"**

**"Forget it, Tory," Ash chuckled and took the camera from her hands, Tory leant her arm on his shoulder and swept his hair back in long, tender strokes, it sent chills over Ash's body. He began to click the button and scan the photos, Tory got up from his lap, Ash was too absorbed in the snapshots of their friends lives to notice where she'd gone.**

**First picture was of Pam and Kim in all their Goth glory, Pam had Kim in a headlock and was poking her tongue out at the camera, the next one was pretty much the same, Kim and Pam fooling around. Ash let out a huff of soft laughter it was Amanda and Tabitha standing side profile to the camera, their foreheads touching and looking straight into each others eyes, smiling identical smiles. From the side it was taken Ash couldn't see Tabitha's scar so it was hard to know who was who in the photo. Ash moved on, Marissa and Amanda, Kyrian and Amanda, Kyrian and Tabitha, a very pregnant Tabitha and Selena, Bill, Kyrian and Valerius, though to be fair Valerius was being held in place by Kyrian. The man did not seem to like being snapshot. Ash stopped on one of Tory, it looked as if someone had grabbed the camera from her and turned it around, she was casting it an embarrassed, adorable smile with her hands on her cheeks. Her eyes were laughing and her hair wavy and glowing. The image of her looking so lovely and happy was seared into his soul. Tory came back through the door walking swiftly, two boxes in her arms, "Ash, you around?"**

**Tory walked to his throne and put down the box with the cameras printer and the other which was actually a photo album. "Ackee, where are you?"**

**Ash materialised behind her suddenly and Tory shrieked, Ash snapped a shot of her and laughed, "This one is definitely going in a frame!"**

**"You're so odd sometimes," Tory said breathlessly then laughed, giving her heart a little pat, before she could move away from him however Ash caught her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. With his hand on the small of her back Ash pressed her closer, so her breasts were pushed up against his chest in delicious, creamy mounds that overflowed the V of her sweater. Ash angled the camera down and took a shot; Tory gasped with surprise and wrenched herself out of his arms laughing.**

**"You're such a perv sometimes, Achimou!"**

**"What?" he said innocently, "I get lonely when you're out visiting."**

**Tory gasped out a laugh again and turned to walk away from him; Ash zoomed in on her ass and clicked. Tory stopped abruptly at the noise and stood stock still, "fine, you wanna play?"**

**Tory swung around with another camera she'd manifested from thin air in her hands and at the same time made his shirt disappear, then snapped, "Hey!"**

**"You started it, boy!"**

**They danced around each other the cameras clicking and flashing non-stop, their laughter rang through the hallways, rousing even Alexion from his sleep.**

**"Okay, darling, love the camera!" Ash teased Tory and she laughed striking an exaggerated pose, "and again! Oh, the camera wants you!"**

**Tory laughed loudly at Ash's play, it was wonderful to see him so happy and care-free, she was glad she'd thought of the camera today. Ash held the camera up to his eye to take another shot when he missed his footing and went sprawling, with none of the grace expected of a powerful God, straight on his ass. Tory howled with laughter and flashed her own camera, "this is so going on the Dark-Hunter site."**

**"Don't you even think about it, Sorta!" Ash growled giving her a look that would have scared the hell out of any of his Dark-Hunters.**

**Tory simply laughed and shrugged before walking over to him and straddling his hips, "This was so fun. Actually when I think about it, you're a photographers dream; I mean people would pay big bucks to have you in their magazines."**

**"And their beds," Ash said in his self-deprecating way, to others he might have sounded arrogant but Tory knew he hated the way others craved him. Tory kissed him before looking at him seriously, "but they won't because you're in our bed with me."**

**Ash grinned, "I doubt you'll have enough ink in your printer for all these pics. You're insane with a camera."**

**Tory smiled proudly, "yeah, can you imagine when we have kids?"**

**Ash laid himself back against the floor, thinking of littler girls and boys with big brown eyes, "I can't wait," he said wistfully. Tory smiled, laying herself over him, cuddling like a happy kitten, "me too."**


	3. Chapter 3

**Slices of Life**

**Persephone knew she was dawdling but damn it she didn't want to leave! She ran her fingertips over the pattern in her quilt on the bed, the bed she shared with her husband for three months of the year. Hades had been distant last night, he always was the night before she was due to go back to Olympus, he gave himself to her heart, body and soul in their love making but after, in the dark when they would hold each other, his hands were not as tender. His caresses didn't speak of the love she knew he had for her, Persephone didn't blame him, he had to steel himself from the hurt they would both experience. Persephone herself felt like she was being ripped in two every time she was forced to leave him and stay with her mother. Persephone could not understand why her mother didn't simply allow her to live with her husband all year round, she'd visit, she'd even make them stay weekends. Didn't Demeter realise that she was hurting her daughter by keeping her away from Hades? Persephone went to the wardrobe carved into the black marble wall; she opened the door and took out one of Hades black shirts. She lifted it to her face and buried her nose in it, his scent, one that she would know anywhere, made her eyes tear up. Abruptly she lifted her head, it wouldn't do for her to say goodbye to her husband with red eyes, Persephone knew she had to be strong for him. It was heart wrenching to know that her Hades was strong in all else but letting her go, his loving her was his downfall and his pain. And as much as she adored him for his love, she hated to be his weakness.**

**"Time to go," Hades appeared at the doorway of their bedroom, his face hard and expressionless, Persephone put his shirt back into the closet, her hands lingering there longer then was normal. She pulled back and turned to him with a bright smile, walking towards him she moved herself into his arms practically forcing him to hold her.**

**"I'll be back soon," Persephone tried to be bright and upbeat, Hades didn't comment. His rough hands simply rubbed up and down her upper arms and over her shoulders. He cleared his throat before stepping back, blinking rapidly.**

**"You should be going," his voice was so hoarse that he had to clear it many times before carrying on. "Its almost midnight and winter is almost coming to an end."**

**"I hate leaving you," Persephone whispered to him, her voice full of tears, she'd promised herself that she would leave with a smile but how could she? How could she pretend to be happy with leaving her heart behind? Hades closed his eyes and placed his palm against her cheek, she stood still and so did he, he breathed deeply, his nostrils flaring as he took her scent deep down into his lungs. His thumb moved rhythmically over his satin cheek, his four other fingers touching the soft curls near her ear and neck.**

**"I wish …" Hades began but broke off, he opened his eyes and stepped back from her, he put his hands in the pockets of his black slacks and looked down at the floor. Persephone followed him and got up close; even though he's head was bent and his face downcast she still had to crane her next to look up into his face. Persephone placed her palms on his chest and raised herself on her tiptoes so she could brush a kiss upon his lips, she felt him tremble beneath her palms. And wanting to give him his dignity stepped away quicker then he could.**

**"Well," she said with faux cheer, "I'll see you when the wind changes, my love."**

**Hades nodded to the floor and Persephone tried to walk out without crying, she made it to the door.**

**"Seph!"**

**Before she could turn she was spun on her heels by two great, warm hands on her shoulders, those mighty hands clasped her upper arms and yanked her flush with his body and up on her toes. Hades' lips crushed down on hers, velvet soft and merciless, they captured her in a kiss that was desperate, wet and noisy. Persephone clung to his shoulders, one hand sliding into his black hair and clasping tight.**

**When Hades finally broke the kiss it was with a moan of pain, his eyes wee utterly tormented as he looked down at his dainty wife.**

**"I love you. So, so much."**

**"I've always loved you, Hades," Seph whispered before closing her eyes and leaning her head upon his hard chest, her hair tickled him. Hades almost smiled, she had always loved him, mythology had gotten it wrong. Hades never kidnapped her, Persephone ran away to the underworld to be with him and when her mother had almost caused a world wide famine over it, his beautiful Seph had even eaten the seven pomegranate seeds just so she would have a legitimate reason to stay. Though Demeter didn't know this of course, Hades was more then willing to take the blame for such things as long as he got to keep his wife.**

**"Persephone!"**

**Demeter's ear splitting voice rippled through the underworld and Hades gritted his teeth to keep himself from cursing the woman, this took hating your in-laws to a whole different level. Even Seph cringed in his arms, she rubbed her face against his chest and kissed him over his heart before disappearing, leaving his arms with empty air. Hades looked down to where she had been, her warmth already beginning to evaporate from his body, leaving him cold. Hades touched a finger to his chest, feeling the damp circles there, evidence of her tears, evidence of his wounded heart.**

**"Oh, Seph," Hades breathed, rubbing his chest, "come back to me."**

**Hades moved to his bed, he sat for a beat then lay, turning on his side so he was facing Seph's pillow. He cupped the air above the pillow where her golden head should make a dent in the crimson silk. He pulled it towards him so he could hold it, hating the emptiness in his arms, bereft of his only comfort Hades moulded her pillow tightly to his body and closed his eyes, hoping to sleep through the time she would be away from him.**

**How he hated the summer ….**


	4. Chapter 4

Slices of Life

"That stall in the square is so cheap!" Selena exclaimed, pulling something heavy and huge from a bag and shaking off a dozen sheets of scented, pink tissue paper. Amanda flicked her gaze from the magazine she'd been reading to gape in horror at Selena's latest fixation.

"Err, Lena, I know you take this whole business of you being a witch seriously and all, but -"

"But what?" Selena asked distractedly as she set the black cauldron on the floor, it came up to Selena's knees and was big enough for Amanda's two children to fit in together. Amanda was forming a reply when her cell phone went off, she picked it up and saw Kyrian's name next to a little envelope, she smiled to herself.

"Nothing, Lena, I think its perfect for you."

"Really?" Selena cried, delighted.

"Absolutely," Amanda muttered vaguely before sliding off the stool and making her way into her mother's conservatory. Amanda shut the door and sat on the sofa that was in there, she flipped open her phone and pressed the button.

_Thinking about tonight? We're trying something a little different …._

_Happy Anniversary xxxx_

Amanda bit her lip and smiled, her forehead crinkled as she re-read it, different? What could possibly be different? Tonight was - Amanda blushed and looked at the door - tonight was handcuff night. Unlike most married couples she and Kyrian celebrated not only their wedding anniversary but the anniversary of the night they met. Although over the years it had got kind of rowdy and both of them had found they were into things that they'd never thought they would be into. It always inevitably ended up with Kyrian being handcuffed to the bed and Amanda having her wicked - very wicked - way with him. Knowing that he planned something different and out of routine was … arousing, Amanda bit her lip as her body thrummed with excitement and she looked at the clock. She wasn't due home until seven, the kids were staying at their grandmothers tonight, and Amanda would slip in through the back of the house. The servants were given the night off and the entire house was theirs, like an adult playground. Feeling devilish Amanda made her way casually to the bathroom and locked the door, she lifted the toilet seat noisily so it would clang on the tank at the back, she rustled the toilet paper a little bit before tiptoeing across to the large mirror her mother kept in both the upstairs and downstairs toilet. Her mother, always a stickler for presentation, had always hated being in someone else's bathroom when they didn't have a suitably sized mirror. Amanda whipped off her blouse and looked at her reflection, contemplating her sedate white bra, with a grin she whipped that off also and yanked down her slacks. Amanda couldn't help blushing, ever since she had met and married Kyrian she had discovered she was indeed a very sexual creature and in the privacy of their bedroom or their deserted house she could do wild things with him and for him. But this was her mother's bathroom and in broad daylight, things she did with her husband were safely tucked away for night time.

Amanda picked up her phone and brought up the camera, she aimed it at the mirror and struck a come-hither-and-ravish-me pose, even going so as to rumple her hair.

**************************

Kyrian stood with Talon at the edge of the swings and pushed Marissa while Talon pushed his daughter, even though he answered Talon and laughed at his jokes and made enquiries, his mind wasn't with it. His body was buzzing and he couldn't wait to hand the kids over to Amanda's mother and get home to prepare. Tonight was handcuff night. It had started about five years ago and each year it just got better, five years ago Amanda had walked into the bedroom with a look of a vixen on her face. She asked him if he knew what day it was and Kyrian felt that chilling sensation all men got when asked that question by their wives. He knew it wasn't their wedding anniversary, that wasn't for at least another two weeks; he'd made sure to make a note of it in his phone and on the calendar.

"No," he replied and Amanda's grin widened as she pulled her hand from behind her back and from her fore finger swung a set of furry handcuffs.

"This time the day we met we were just having these things cut off."

She'd blown him away that night and every anniversary after it just got wilder and wilder, Kyrian had never complained that it was him being handcuffed wrist and ankle to the four bed posts and spread eagle for her desires. It amazed him that he had gotten over his fear of being tied down so easily, but then Amanda had done that for him too. She'd done so much for him, given him back life when he thought he was damned, not just a life, something to live for. A wife, home, kids, family. And to think had he'd had his way and had she not been as stubborn, they might never have reached this point. Plus the whole I-am-immortal thing that Ash so kindly bestowed on them really worked for him, what guy wouldn't look forward to the rest of his life when his already too sexy wife stepped it up a notch once every year. Kyrian slid a side long look at Talon. Another bonus, immortal with one of your best friends. Life was so good.

"So Sunshine goes to me how about we take a trip to Europe," Talon was blathering on about something and Kyrian grunted to show he was pretending to listen. "And I was like woman, I was born in Cornwall, why the hell do I want to go there?"

Kyrian let out a laugh, "true."

_Beep. Beep._

"Hold up," Kyrian said, either to Talon or Marissa, either way Talon stopped talking to him and started cooing to his daughter and Marissa began to pout. Kyrian laughed at her and pulled her to a stop on the swing; he pulled out his phone, flipped it open and saw that Amanda had sent him something. Curious he punched the button and choked, Amanda was standing in front of a mirror in her white thong and looking like she was made for love. Her face was a picture of sultry sex kitten; her virginal white yet utterly sexy thong peeked at him from between the cleft of her tight little ass making his mouth water.

"Something wrong?" Talon asked when Kyrian couldn't break his gaze away from his phone; Kyrian looked up guiltily and hastily stashed it back in his coat pocket.

"Nope, no, nothing," he replied to quickly, he cleared his throat, "just Amanda checking up on me."

"What does she think we were going to do? Take the kids on a three day bender or something? I hate that."

"Yeah, me too," Kyrian sighed wistfully, his body humming with anticipation.

**********

Amanda tiptoed lightly into the hallway and made her way to the stairs, Kyrian was in, she had seen his car in the driveway. Around this time he was usually in the entertainment room winding down, every handcuff night it was always up to her to pounce on him, not that he wasn't up for it but she loved taking him by surprise. Amanda made it to the bedroom without Kyrian sensing she was in the house, she opened the door and without switching the lights on moved straight for her closet. Her familiarity and well-honed psychic instincts enabled her to move around the room in the darkness and dress as if the light were on; she didn't want to turn it on in case, for whatever reason, Kyrian made his way up stairs. She wanted him to be blissfully unaware that he was about to be savaged. Amanda ran her hands up her legs feeling the sleek hose and garters she wore, rather then her usual chaste white tonight everything was siren red. She opted for no panties and simply put her red velvet, corset bustier trimmed in black lace on, it came with a fitted push up bra that made her small breasts look plumper and more inviting. Amanda had just pulled her hair from it pins and band and allowed it to fall around her shoulders when she felt hands grab her from behind. They caught her hands behind her back and dragged her backwards, Amanda felt her bare ass hit the firm wood of a chair and the metal of handcuffs slid around her wrists restraining them behind her. It was only then that she smiled. So this was the twist for tonight, her instead of him. Amanda felt Kyrian grip her ankle and secure it with another set of handcuffs to the chair leg, he did the same with the other until her legs were splayed wide. A candle came to life on a table to her right but she couldn't see Kyrian clearly, he moved around the room like a phantom bringing dim light to the dark corners of their room. Amanda's blood was a lethal combination of arousal and excitement, her breath hitched sharply when she felt the warm lips of her husband brush against her neck, his scent enveloped her and Amanda found herself breathing hard. Finally Kyrian moved into the light and crouched before her wearing nothing but black slacks held snug around his hips by a black belt, his eyes practically glowed as he allowed his fingers to walk up her quivering thigh.

"Tonight," he drawled, "I own you."

Amanda laughed and leaned forward as far as her handcuffs would allow, her lips were a hairs breadth away from his. "You have from the very beginning," she whispered and saw Kyrian's eyes flare before he laid his lips on hers in a deep, toe-curling kiss. Amanda moaned deeply, she loved handcuff night.


	5. Chapter 5

Slices of Life

"Yo, boss man, chill."

Tory frowned at Urian's voice which sounded a little edgy for the usually cool diamon; her eyebrows flew up in surprise at the 'oof!' noise that sounded as he'd been hit in the stomach. That wasn't like Ash … Well, okay so when he was pissed off he was quite capable of rending someone's spleen from their body, but he was usually too sweet for that. Though if she were honest most of the time people were silenced by one threatening look from him. Not her though, Tory had the one ace up her sleeve that got her out of anything - Ash loved her. So she could call him a grumpy, big headed, butt faced moron and get a growl and usually a kiss. It's true! Even when he was mad at her which was like … never, he still kissed her before he left to do his chores. It was like it was an ever present worry in his mind that she could possibly disappear and he didn't want the last moments between them to be an argument.

"Ash, there's no -" a growl rent the air and the voice, which was Alexion's, cut off abruptly, Tory had an image of him taking a step or two back. She walked towards the door with all the commotion going on behind it and gave a small half smile, why did everything seem to commence in the throne room? Perhaps because the wall made up of nothing but televisions was always playing cartoon network? The guys seemed to love that stuff.

Tory pushed open the door and gasped, someone had pissed him off royally. Ash was before his throne, his arms braced against the thrones as if he had just about to heft himself from the seat, at the sound of her entry he froze. Although Tory had seen Ash in his true form on two occasions since they had got together, he didn't like it and strove too keep his human form in front of her. Something that pissed Tory off to no end. Even looking at him now she could see Ash's blue cheek flushing with shame, watched how his eyes flicked downwards, she noted he'd started to breathe deeply and deliberately as if trying to gain the control he needed to revert back to his usual form. Well, didn't that just make her want to throw things! She stomped into the room and with her hands on her hips glared at Urian and Alexion; both shrank back from her rather sudden but totally effective glower.

"Who upset him?" she demanded and Urian, ever the diamon out for himself, pointed straight away at Alexion while shaking his head silently. Alexion bulked when he saw this but didn't have time to respond when Tory made a growling noise, he gave her a smile that was meant to win her over.

"I didn't do anything, Tory," he protested.

"You must have done something to make him mad?"

They both shrugged stupidly and Tory made a noise of disgust.

"Alright, the pair of you, out!"

They didn't need telling twice and raced to the door, beating on each other to try and get out first, Tory waited until they left before smiling. She didn't often indulge the notion, but sometimes … it was good to be the heart of a God. She turned back to find Ash still trying without success to calm himself enough to at least turn back to his usual colouring. Tory moved forward swiftly and stood directly before him, when he didn't look at her she pressed her knee into his and nudged.

"Give me a minute, Tory," he murmured, "just a minute."

"No!" she refused rather like a spoilt child, yet when she touched him her hand was nothing if gentle, running over his shoulder and up into his jet black hair. She felt him stiffen under her touch and sighed, when would he ever realise that there was nothing about him that made her disgusted or sick? She loved him more then that.

"What's wrong, baby?" she said softly, stroking her finger down his black horns, she saw that in response to this his blackened nails dug grooves into the marble arms of his throne. She paused a little then repeated her actions, Ash let out a little moan and Tory bit her lip to stop smiling.

"You like that?"

"Tory, don't -"

"Don't what? According to our wedding vows you must love honour and obey me. I can touch you where ever I want," she added teasingly while leaning down to lick behind his ear. Still Ash didn't reach for and Tory began to get worried, she knelt quickly before him so she could stare up into his fiery red eyes, rimmed and shot through with a blazing yellow. Even though he now had prominent fangs and his lips, nails and hair was black and even though his body was blue she could still see the normal Ash in there. But what was even stranger, if you called it strange and Tory didn't, was how she would be perfectly okay to be with this Ash all the time, make love to him and cuddle with him. Just as long as he never stopped being her Ash.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing," Ash let out on a sigh, "just Nick going MIA."

"Again?"

"Yeah, Urian found him walking around the ninth ward like some zombie."

"Really!" Tory cried, horrified and Ash almost laughed.

"No, he - Tor, he wasn't a zombie he was just, you know, spacing out or some shit."

"Oh," Tory sighed with relief then added defensively, "Well, stranger things have happened, you know?"

Ash quirked his black lips, "I know."

"Why are you so angry then? It's not like Nick hasn't gone of the missing list before."

"I don't know, Urian told me and I kind of snapped …"

Tory snorted and Ash gave her a quizzical look, "if you're going to BS me then lets not bother."

Ash looked uncomfortable. "Ash, you never, _ever_, funk out and go blue unless you are severely pissed off. You don't lash out at people without reason." Tory brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, "you're too fair for that. Now I want to know what's -"

Tory stopped abruptly when something occurred to her and she forced Ash's head up to face her, letting her own powers seek out her answer, when she found them she was confused.

"You're hungry."

Ash didn't say anything, his face unreadable. "That's what it is, isn't it? You need to feed and you haven't and it's turned you into Grumpy."

Ash gave her a droll look; leave it to Tory to compare him to a Walt Disney character. Very manly and God-like. But he didn't deny what she'd said.

"Why haven't you fed?" Silence. Tory rubbed her thumbs over Ash's lips and saw his fangs immediately lengthen. "Huh? Why haven't you fed? I fed a few days ago, why didn't you take from me then?"

Again that unnatural silence from him that was beginning to seriously grind on her, just when she was about to snap at him Ash lifted a hand and drew his blue finger over the skin of her neck. Tory shivered and her skin broke out in goose bumps, she purposely leant her head to the side in an effort to entice him.

"This is going to sound really, really stupid," Ash began in a musing voice, "and believe me I know how stupid it is so don't blow a gasket or anything. I realised the other day that I have the same leverage over you as Artemis had over me. I realised that you need my blood to survive and I could withhold it from you and I could take from you."

Tory didn't like where this was going, she didn't like it when Ash thought about the past too much, it made him so sombre and perhaps a little maudlin.

"I just don't like to think that I'm using you or -"

"Okay," Tory said loudly waving her hands, "stop right there. I don't need to hear anymore of this."

Ash sighed and Tory laughed. "Ash, you think _way _too much."

This time Ash laughed and Tory moved forward so she could snuggle against his chest, she leant her head to the side and offered herself to him. Ash pressed his face into her throat, he sucked and licked and nibbled and teased causing Tory to shudder and whimper in his arms. Just when she thought he would sink his teeth in Tory felt herself yanked to her feet and Ash swung her into his arms.

"Where are we going?" she gasped and Ash grinned down at her, his eyes slowly dwindling back to silver.

"We're having a lunch break." He wagged his eyebrows lecherously before flashing them to their room.


	6. Chapter 6

Slices of Life

"Are you home?" Hades looked up at Lith his small, harmless demonic assistant. The purple skinned, blacked winged demon had a droll, sarcastic sense of humour which he delivered in a dry, monotone voice that greatly amused Hades. However, he was not amused today, nor had he been yesterday or the day before, not since Persephone had left.

"No," Hades answered shortly, looking through his computer database, he liked to keep a check of the souls coming and going through the underworld. Hades himself hadn't foreseen how beneficial this piece of technology would be to mankind.

"To no one?"

"No."

"Not even Acheron?"

"Yes to him," Hades said on a long-suffering sigh, Lith was quick with another question.

"What about Zeus?"

"No!" Hades snapped quickly.

"What about me?"

Hades head whirled around so fast he heard it click but he didn't care, he let out a rattling breath and saw a vision at his office doorway. Persephone was standing there leaning back against the jamb, her beautiful eyes filling with tears of joy, Hades shot out of the chair.

"Butterbean!" Persephone cried as she launched herself into his arms, Lith rolled his eyes even though he was secretly pleased at seeing his master and mistress united. Hades forgot that the world existed with his wife back in his arms, he even forgot that he hated that idiotic pet name she'd come up with for him. All he could smell, think, feel, taste was her and he loved it. Burying his nose in her neck Hades let out a groan of pure delight.

"Seph, thank the source!"

Persephone laughed joyously and clung to her husband, lifting herself up and wrapping her long, shapely legs around his lean waist.

"How did you get away?"

"I just had to see you," Persephone pulled back to stare into Hades' dark eyes, "I ached from missing you so badly! I just had to see you."

Hades tightened his arms, "I'm glad, oh Seph, I'm happy you came! This had been the worse day by far …"

Seph pulled back to stare at Hades, her hands locked comfortably at the nape of his neck, the weight of her forearms were both familiar and welcome. They stared at each other in delighted silence for moment before Hades swung his wraith-like wife around in a circle. Seph bowed her back and stretched out her arms, basking in their combined happiness. When Hades put her down she spun around his office, so happy to be home surrounded by Hades things, familiar things, things that she loved. Even if it was the Underworld, where the dead lived and the bad were punished, she would rather be alive in hell then in heaven with a dead heart.

As she spun back to look at Hades she saw him watching her with glowing eyes, the love there thrilled her. She practically floated over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck; he smiled down at her, his own arms slipping leisurely around her slender waist.

"Do you know what day it is?" she asked and Hades let out a booming laugh before planting a hard kiss on her lips.

"Of course I do," he purred, "it was the day you ran away from Olympus, and I came in to my throne room to find you waiting for me. To this day Seph, nothing has ever matched my shock at seeing you there."

Persephone laughed, "oh Hades, you must be the only man in history that actually remembers the anniversary of his first date with his wife."

"That was a date!" Hades laughed incredulously, the happiness inside him was threatening to drown him. The ease in which he had gone from being on the brink of utter despair to being deliriously happy was astonishing. This day was why it was the worst day to be away from his wife. It was the day, many centuries ago, after seeing her at court on Olympus and being introduced to her by Athena. He gone home to the underworld and thrown himself into work, yet he could not for the life of him get the image of her face out of his mind. What was worse was knowing he could not see her regularly, for him to travel to Olympus more then once a month would arouse suspicion amongst him brethren. He'd opened the door to his throne room after another tedious day in hell and seen her standing in the middle of the room, looking too small to be allowed in such a large, imposing place. He would never forget the way her eyes lit up when she saw him, the butterflies she created in his stomach when he'd stepped close to her and she stuttered her way through some lame explanation for her being there.

"I remember you were shivering," he murmured, he stared over her shoulder lost in thought, Persephone just smiled fondly as he romantically and accurately voiced details of that day.

"And you pulled off your cloak and gave it too me, and sat me on your throne. You tried to be so grown up and reprimand me, but you were still young yourself -"

"If you can call being over a century old young -" Hades scoffed.

"I could see you were happy to see me, and it made everything - the running away, the angering my mother - it made it all worthwhile."

"I couldn't understand why you'd come to me," Hades laughed.

"It was because of that day at court, do you remember?"

"The day we first met," Hades said immediately.

"It was the day when Zeus ordered the Dream-Hunters to be beaten until their emotions left them. I remember that every man in the room had fawned over me and flirted. And after Zeus passed the decree they continued to do so even though their brethren were about to be tortured. And I hated Zeus, because my brother was one of the Dream-Hunters. And I remember looking over the room and seeing you standing apart from most of the crowd and you looked … compassionate, sad … as if you cared. I think I loved you then, from that very moment."

Hades smiled gently and lent down to kiss Seph on the nose, she bit her lip and her face looked mischievous.

"What?"

"I was just thinking …" Seph said coyly, there was a definite laugh in her voice. "Do you remember, after you finally let me stay and promised not to tell my mother? I was practically begging you to seduce me."

Hades let out a booming laugh as he remembered it.

"All you would do was kiss me but you'd never go any further, never let your hands wander -" Seph slide her own hands down Hades' ripped stomach and felt his muscles contract. "You were such a gentleman, and there was me wishing you would just take me because you felt like you were taking advantage."

A handsome blush crept up Hades' cheeks and Seph laughed, Hades growled and scooped her up in his arms.

"That is not a problem I am warring with now however." Hades began striding to his bedroom with one thing on his mind.

"You don't plan to take advantage of me!" Seph cried in faux shock and outrage.

"Most definitely," Hades purred.

"Thank the source!" Seph's cry of delight rang through the halls of the Underworld.


	7. Chapter 7

Slices of Life

Wren rolled his eyes as he jiggled his nine month old son on his hip, he looked through the car window at his three year old cub, Logan, who was asleep in his car seat, then back to Nathan. He smiled.

"Looks like all the men of the house are ready first again," he murmured to his son who simply smiled and grabbed with wet, drool covered hands at Wren's face. Wren laughed and pretended to bite at the little, pudgy fingers, he blew a raspberry on his son's palm making the child laugh. Suddenly the door to their house flew open, Maggie stood there holding the door ordering the girls out. The younger ones came first, shooting out of the door as if they had been fired by cannon, running for their father.

"Watch the road!" Wren called to them and they slowed their pace. After Nathan and Logan, fraternal twins Hailey and Ashley were youngest, they were also individually more boisterous and chatty then both children were put together. And that was saying something. It was also strange how they still remained very close considering one was human while the other was a white tiger cub. Hailey helped Ashley into the car and the pair began jumping about so much the car actually rocked.

"Hey! Hey!" Wren called to them, giving them his best I'm-your-father-and-I'm-not-playing look, though they only ever laughed at him when he tried to pull it off. "Sit down and strap yourselves in and don't wake up Logan."

Nicky and Laura came stomping out a few seconds later, Nicky scowling darkly at her mother as she went and Laura pouting.

"You can wipe that look right off your face there, Nicole!" Maggie warned her with a stern voice, "or we'll leave you here."

Nicky ignored her mother and moved towards the car, she ignored Wren as well who tried not to let anyone see his lips twitch. Laura who was ever the dawdler made it half way down the drive, pouting at something Nicky had done no doubt until she swept her eyes up to the sky and saw something that made her pause.

"Come on, Laura, or you'll make us late," Wren called to her, her skinny legs started to drag on again but her eyes were fixed on the sky.

"What's up there?" Wren asked as she got near the car, Laura pulled her eyes away with difficulty, she shrugged and climbed in next to Nicky. Wren looked back at the house and saw Maggie was coming up the drive; she walked up to Wren giving him that look of half relief, half exasperation. Wren laughed and kissed the look off of her face; Maggie growled when Wren pulled away and pouted, looking uncannily like her eldest daughter.

"Wipe that look off your face or I'll leave you here," Wren teased, giving her a quick peck on the cheek, Maggie grinned.

"Only if you stay here with me," Maggie retorted sauntering around to her side of the car, Wren felt his body stir and felt a growl of arousal well up in his throat.

"Hey!" Nicky cried from her window, "If you guys are gonna do that weird sexual stuff, do it in your own time!"

Maggie and Wren exchanged looks of wide-eyed shock before turning towards Nicky and shouting, "watch your mouth!" and "you're grounded!"

**************

Aristotle always wondered why his mother had named him after someone who had been so intelligent when he had acted incredibly stupid in the past. Aristotle stared at his son playing in his Were form with his children, and he felt a painful twinge of regret, he'd never gotten to play with his son like that. It had been partly his fault as to the reason why, and although Wren had always maintained that he never hated him and that he had forgiven him, Aristotle was having a hard time accepting that forgiveness when he had yet to forgive himself. Maggie bustled up beside him, she and Nicky had obviously made up because the young teenager was laughing at something her mother had said.

"Hey, Granddad," Nicky said, putting her share of the shopping bags on to the table, Aristotle put his arm around his granddaughter who was a strange yet attractive combination of Maggie and Wren.

"Hey tiger," Aristotle pulled Nicky into an embrace and they commenced a game they had played since she could talk. Nicky struggled to get free while Aristotle held her imprisoned with ease.

"Go and play outside, you two," Maggie scolded playfully, "I've got to prepare for tonight's dinner."

Aristotle rolled his eyes, at least once a month the whole family got together for a big dinner which Maggie would cook. Aristotle would like it to be more frequent but he was busier now then he had ever been with Tigerian Tech.

"Come on, Nick, let's go show your dad how to fight!"

They ran for the door and both slowed deliberately when Maggie screeched at them to "play nice!"

***************

Maggie looked around to the back seats of the car, all her babies and cubs were sleeping, which was fine with her because she was pretty out of it too. She settled back in her seat and looked over at Wren, she smiled tenderly to herself, she never got over how incredibly handsome he was. Wren noticed his wife's stare and flicked his eyes towards her.

"You okay, baby?"

"Yeah," she almost sighed and leant her head back on the head rest, still watching him, all grace and masculine beauty, that's what he was.

"Do I have some of my dinner left on my face?" he murmured, as he waited for a car to drive across the street in front of him.

"No," Maggie giggled, "I was just thinking …"

"About?"

"How far we've come since the day we met?"

It was Wren's turn to smile then. "Yeah," he agreed "I think about that sometimes. At the time it seemed so hopeless. I'm glad I had the strength to fight."

"Honey, that has never been your trouble," Maggie scoffed and they laughed quietly, Wren reached over and held Maggie's hand loosely in his own, and they sat in companionable silence. Wren eased the car into their drive and turned off the engine, neither of them moved for a moment and wren turned his head to look at Maggie.

"I love you, Lady Tiger," he whispered to her and she beamed at him.

"I love you, too," Maggie murmured, she watched Wren flick his eyes over his shoulder to their offspring.

"My father said something to me today," Wren muttered, he said it so low that it was almost inaudible, but with her Were-Hunter senses Maggie heard him perfectly.

"What was that?"

"He said that I am a better father then he could have ever hoped to be. And he was glad he hadn't damaged me so much that I couldn't look after my own kids."

Maggie remained silent; she just squeezed Wren's hand to let him know she was listening to him. Wren and his father had reached a lot of common ground over the years and built up a good, strong bond. Considering what Wren went through as a cub he could very easily, and with full rights, turned his back on his old man. But Wren was too kind and loving to do that, he was also too aware of how much his family meant to him.

"He still blames himself for everything," Wren said, his eyes on Laura.

"I suppose he always will Wren," Maggie said softly, "but in time he'll learn to cope with it."

"I don't blame him, and I have forgiven him," Wren began, "but … When I look at my own young, I can't imagine doing what he did. But then," Wren blinked and looked back at Maggie, "he was never loved the way I am by you."

"No one in this world is loved the way I love you," Maggie said, sweeping his hair from his eyes, it was such an old, familiar gesture that Wren grinned. "You're my everything."

Wren smiled, he couldn't wait to be alone with her so he could show his Maggie just how much she meant to him.


	8. Chapter 8

Bride wasn't one for wearing pants of any kind, in fact the last time she had worn anything tight fitting around her thighs was when she was about six. But as she examined herself in the mirror she couldn't help thinking … well, that her ass didn't look so bad in a pair of black, fitted jeans. Usually she couldn't stand the sight of herself in jeans, the were too tight and unlike her long, flowing skirts they didn't hide a multitude of sins. But since her dropping a few pounds, she'd decided to try out a new look, and obviously she wasn't anywhere near the size where she could just throw on a skirt and a bikini top and no one would bat an eyelid - unfortunately. But she was looking kind of okay. Bride surveyed herself in the mirror and blushed because she liked what she saw. Bride McTierney was not a person who easily complimented herself, and most of the time as soon as she found something she liked on her, someone - namely her sister, Deidre or her ex-boyfriend, Taylor - would say something to completely dismantle her confidence. With her jeans she wore a flat knee high riding boot that hid her fatty calves, she also wore a pretty white shirt with nice flared cuffs that poked out the cuffs of her black velvet jacket. She looked casual but smart, and boy did she like the way it made her feel. Feeling like she wanted to go the whole slog, Bride let down her hair instead of keeping it in her usual messy bun and held it back from her face with a pretty black Alice band.

Bride bit her lip as she gave herself a once over and thought of her husband's face when he came in, it hadn't taken her long to figure out that what truly prompted her to change her look and style was her wolfish mate. Unlike the typical human male that lied, cheated and deceived their way around their woman, Vane was as honest as the day was long. One look on his face usually told her whether he thought she looked good or not, and when she would ask him he usually answered with a lusty growl before steaming into her and nailing her to the bed. And when he didn't like something Bride couldn't say she was honestly offended because she knew he was only ever telling the truth.

Bride made her way to her car to head over to her store, she moved quickly and efficiently around the floor rearranging stock and swiping the dust off her shelves. She flipped her sign from closed to open and unlocked the door.

It was lunchtime on a Wednesday and the flow of customers had been steady all morning, and with Thanksgiving over and Christmas just around the corner Bride was sure to expect a lot more. No sooner had she seen out her last customer from a party of eight and sat down behind her counter did the bell above the door ring. Rather then immediately jump up as she would normally do and greet them, Bride simply raised her head and gave the newcomer a friendly smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked, the customer, an average man of around thirty two, looked at Bride for the first time. He casually flicked his glance to her then did a double take, his long, plain face took a sudden interest and Bride tried not to sigh with irritation. For some reason that Bride could never really figure, ever since her marriage to Vane she seemed to generate a lot more male attention then she ever had as a singleton. Bride simply put it down to the fact that she no longer cared whether another man looked at her and the result was she gave off a kind of aura of nonchalance to them. The devilish side of her actually relished turning them down when they deemed her passably attractive enough to ask her on a date. This guy before her was a primary example of what she experienced.

"I'm looking for a present for my sister," he said with a quick smile, "she's into all this … girly kind of … stuff." He ended lamely and laughed, Bride smiled in commiseration. Men!

"Let me help you," she said kindly, coming out from behind the counter, she walked past him towards the shelf where a selection of necklaces stood. When she turned her head to face him she noticed his eyes quickly flicked to her face and he smiled in a charming way.

"Is there anything in particular she likes?" Bride asked and the guy again smiled wide.

"I think she has a thing for dolphins and she's always wearing loads of those …"

He shook his wrist.

"Bangles?" Bride suggested and he cracked out a laughter.

"Yeah, that's it, that's what she wears," Bride gestured to another shelf which he approached, the man looked into it, questioning Bride now and again about several of the merchandise.

Vane flashed himself home and called out for Bride, then rolled his eyes at himself, she was at work, genius! The baby was spending this afternoon with Fury to give his uncle some hands on experience before Angelia dropped her first litter. Vane had visions of a free afternoon with his delicious mate, Vane's grin was purely wicked as memories of their first time together in Bride's dressing room came back to him. He huffed out a quiet laugh before flashing himself to the alley behind Bride's store, making his way towards the front of the store, giving the curtains to her big dressing room a sly smile, her scent was hanging subtlety on them. Soon they would be drenched in his and her scent. He pictured her sitting on her stool behind the counter, her hair up in a messy bun that left tantalising curls brushing at her neck, she would smile when he wrapped his arm around her from behind and he planned, in his best Lothario voice, he would suggest the dressing room, he would coax her, plead a little, then demand and by then she could not resist.

Vane smelt him before he saw him, and saw him before he heard him and his every scent disliked what he got from him.

"You work here alone?" Vane folded his arms across his chest and locked his jaw to stop himself from growling, he was giving Bride five seconds to shoot the guy down before he went and retrieved his woman and put a hole through this asswipes chest.

"No, not always," Bride said politely, taking his purchases to the counter, Vane drew back so she wouldn't see him.

"Yeah, my ex used to work in a place like this."

"Hmm," Vane's lips twitched, she made that sound when she wasn't listening to him too. Then he got pissed all over again that the guy was near her. He knew if he stormed out there and tried to take the guy's leg off she'd freak out at him and he would seriously be in the dog-house then. Considering that her father was a vet, he didn't want to risk it.

"You doing anything special tonight?"

"Except bathing my little boy and reading him a bedtime story?" Bride said with a laugh, not bothering to look up at him as she wrapped.

"You got a little boy?"

Bride flicked her amber eyes to his, knowing kids were usually a turn off for men "yeah."

"Me too."

The guy leant his elbows on the counter so his face was close to Bride's, Bride heard her spine literally crack and she sprung up and back, Vane felt his incisors lengthen. The guy continued to smile, as though she should be flattered by his cheesy bordering on sleazy smile.

"So you like sex?"

Vane felt his fangs punch out of his skull and a growl erupted from his chest, his feet moved swiftly forward.

"Yes, I do," Bride said briskly, as if she were advising him on choice of merchandise, Vane felt like he was going to choke, what the hell had she just said? "My husband's very good at it."

Bride gave the guy a cold look, "he's also insanely jealous and tends to work out a lot."

The guy opened his shocked mouth as if to say something but Vane felt the need to mark his territory, he appeared behind Bride faster then the asshole could blink. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her flush with his chest with a sharp sound that could have been a bark.

The guy's eyes widen as they travelled the length of Vane's body, then to the arm around Bride's waist, then to Vane's face. He went white, he licked his lips as if his mouth was dry.

"Get the fuck out!" Vane growled, the only thing restraining him was Bride's tight grip locked on his wrist. The guy stumbled backwards then broke into a flat out run, Vane let go of Bride, ready to chase the guy feeling like he'd given him a fair three second head start.

"Stay!" Bride said firmly and Vane growled at her, Bride laughed and stroked a placating hand down his cheek.

"Don't order me like a dog!"

"But you are one," Bride countered reasonably making Vane blink, she leant up to kiss him and Vane responded with a ferocious growl. Hoisting her on to the counter and stepping between her thighs, he sucked on her tongue and ran his fingers and flat palms up her legs.

"You're wearing jeans," he said breathlessly, his hands creeping up to her breasts then her hair, Bride nibbled his lip.

"Yes," she whispered back, Vane abruptly pulled back and yanked her off counter and pulled her in front of him. Bride gave him a quizzical look that aroused Vane to his highest level as she was still flushed with excitement, her lips still wet with his kiss and her amber eyes like head lights in the dark. Vane moved around her and studied with hooded eyes the way the black jean cupped her beautiful ass, he ran his hands over it, a possession in his touch that thrilled Bride.

"Mine!" he rumbled into her hair.

"I know. Always yours," Bride murmured, leaning back on his chest, while his hands still roamed and claimed.

"If he ever comes in here again … I'll kill him!"

"Vane …"

"No, Bride," Vane let go of her and backed up a few steps, "you should have told him you had a mate."

"I did tell him I had a husband, in case you didn't hear. I can't help if the guy liked me, I can't be rude to him and chase off customers because he thought that I would, in his wildest dreams, ever consider going on a date with him. I hope you notice that I never complain when women oogle you, which I might add, they do - a lot!"

Vane didn't look appeased, in fact his face grew darker, "You know I can't, and won't ever cheat on you."

"But you think I would?" Bride gasped, hurt on a level she wouldn't have believed, Vane looked instantly contrite.

"No. No, of course not. I don't know why I said that."

Bride nodded and turned back to her counter, beginning to unwrap the package the man left, before she could walk around and put it on it shelf Vane stopped her by laying his big, warm, callused hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Bride," He murmured sincerely, Bride smiled, "me too."

"I love you in jeans," he said, kissing her ear, "What colour are your -"

"Black," Bride said quickly, anticipating the question, loving the way his eyes flared. Vane licked his lips thinking of Bride on their bed wearing her jeans and a black bra.


	9. Chapter 9

**(If you read Fear the Darkness then you'll see that Val and Kyrian aren't enemies anymore)**

"What are you doing!" Tabitha's voice demanded impatiently from the top of the stairs, Valerius's lips quirked into a smile, his wife could be testy at the best of times but pregnancy hadn't done anything to soothe her fiery temper.

"I'm coming!" Valerius called back and laid down his pen, he'd been going over the paperwork for Tabitha's store; he couldn't believe how abysmal she was at paperwork when she was so intelligent. Valerius scooted his chair back and made his way to the stairs, the sight he beheld at the top was more radiant then Aphrodite herself. Tabitha was in her his black bath robe, even pregnant it still swamped her, concealing her precious bump. Her hair was rumpled and her face free of make-up yet she glowed, looking sexier and lovelier then ever. Clearing his throat of the sudden thickness there, Valerius ascended the staircase and without a word led her into the bathroom.

The brightness of the white porcelain, towels and sparkling of the clean mirror was almost painful to the eyes, Tabitha adjusted the lighting so it dimmed to a faint glow and the aromatic candles did the rest of the work. Valerius turned to his wife and reached for the belt of the robe, Tabitha's breath hitched, he let it fall open and pushed it slowly from her shoulders, it was more of a revealing then an undressing. Valerius ran the backs of his fingers down her face, skimming over her scar, a testimony to her valour. He ran a finger between her small, pert breasts, her nipples hardened, making Valerius smile. He liked that he could still make her react. Tabitha was pretty much ready to bring their baby into the world any day now, for the first part of the pregnancy; her hormones had had her prepared to throttle him if he touched her. At this point she would probably throttle him if he didn't. Valerius didn't mind, he loved watching the way her body took on the shape of pregnancy. He looked at the big swell and felt his heart swell, he and his son or daughter were separated by scant inches of flesh, he or she was in there fully formed and waiting a few more days and then they would finally meet. The magnitude of it scared Valerius as much as it thrilled him.

"Come," he murmured to Tabitha, who was watching him with a weepy expression. Valerius got into the giant sized tub first then helped Tabitha in; she sat between his legs leaning back against his chest and shoulder. They lay in silence for some time, completely content just to listen to each others breathing; suddenly Tabitha gasped and placed her hand over her bump.

"She did it again," Tabitha laughed, "she just kicked. You know, it actually feels like she's tickling my insides!"

"How do you know it's a she?" Valeius asked, grinning like a lunatic as he buried his face in Tabitha's hair.

"I don't, but I'm sick of calling her 'it' or 'bumpy'."

Tabitha settled back against him and sighed, "I can't wait until she, he, gets here."

"Me either."

"If she stays in there any longer, the doctors may have to induce labour."

Valerius frowned, "are you worried?"

"Not really," Tabitha replied honestly, "you?"

"Sometimes."

Tabitha turned her head on his shoulder so she could look up at him, "about what?"

"All of it. Mostly whether I'll be any good."

"As a father? You'll be the best!"

There was such confidence in her voice Valerius chuckled, "thanks. You know what keeps running through my mind though?" Valerius smile was replaced by a serious, hard expression. "That family abuse runs in cycles. My father's genes should never been reproduced. Luckily I was defected, but … what if I still have some in me."

"You think you'd hurt your own child the way your father hurt you?"

Valerius unconsciously tightened his arms around Tabitha, rubbing his chin against her hair, "I would destroy the man or woman that dared hurt my child."

"I know you would. As would I. If you need anymore proof, look at Zarek. He's been through terrible things at the hand of his own father and he is one of the most loving fathers I've ever seen. And so will you be. You're a good man, Val. You forget that too often."

* * *

"Just breathe, Sweetie, breathe," Amanda encouraged, while Tabitha circled her lips and blew and sucked air rapidly, almost whistling.

"I'm breathing!" Tabitha shrieked at Amanda, who looked at as if she were about to laugh, Tabitha glared at her then at her mother, then at Valerius who could not get close because of the huddle of women around Tabitha's birthing bed. "Get it out!"

"Okay, push now Mrs. Magnus!" The doctor cried. Tabitha bore down, her face reddening with the strain. For a moment of tense silence filled with gasps and heavy breathing, then a squalling cry rent the air and Valerius felt his legs go like jelly, within moments he had been thrust to the bedside and he saw the doctor - the best the money could buy - lift the baby, while the nurse cut the cord.

"Thank God!" Tabitha rasped and her head hit the pillow, her beautiful eyes locked with Valerius's and she let out a breathless laugh. Valerius bent his head and kissed her sweaty temple, "well done, love," he whispered lovingly.

The nurse came back and was about to give Tabitha the baby, but Tabitha shook her head with a smile.

"Let my husband be the first to hold our son," she said with overflowing pride, Valerius held his arms out to take the baby eagerly into his arms. He was like a tiny baby shaped loaf of bread, wrapped up in a robin egg blue blanket, all raw and pink and clean, he was laying still now, not squalling but making noises now and then, as if he felt the world was getting to quiet. Valerius lowered himself on to the bed so he and Tabitha were propped up upon her pillow; Tabitha touched her finger to the baby's delicate cheek.

"What shall we name him?"

"You said the first name was my choice?" said Valerius, so happy he couldn't take his eyes off the child's face, he held him up in front of his face like an offering, a blessed offering. Tabitha groaned, though with a smile on her face, "Go on, then. But I will not have a child called Uranus or Caligula, nothing that will have his head flushed down a toilet at school!"

"He will be Cicero. Cicero …"

"Michael," Tabitha piped up, "his second name will be Michael."

Valerius smiled widely, "Cicero Michael Magnus."

"I can live with Cicero," Tabitha laughed, stroking the thick black hair on the baby's head, "Cece for short."

Valerius wasn't listening he slowly lifted the baby and placed a kiss on he's brow, he stood up then and began to walk around the room, rocking the baby in his arms.

"Cece, your father loves you very much. Very, very much."

Tabitha sat back and watched her husband with tears of joy in her eyes, loving that she'd finally given him a gift his money could never buy nor his charms could never get.

"Hey, I heard the Roman Empire had been raised again."

Tabitha and Valerius looked up to see Kyrian lounging against the door frame, the nurse pushed him aside as she came through.

"I'm going to take the new mother to be cleared up."

Tabitha found her bed wheeled out past Kyrian who looked down her with the kindest, proudest, most brotherly expression.

"I feel sorry for that poor child," he said, his voice as sarcastic as usual, but his touch, when he clucked her under the chin.

When Tabitha had been wheeled away and out of the room, Kyrian sauntered forward and Valerius barely noticed. Valerius drew his son closer to his chest and Kyrian leaned near, he snorted with laughter and Valerius threw him a glare over his shoulder.

"No, I was just thinking of the how I met your mother story you two will come out with," Kyrian let out a whoop of laughter. "How did you meet mommy, dad," he said in a high, whiny voice.

"Well, son, she was out hunting vampires and stabbed me in through the heart! Hah!"

"As opposed to I woke up with a massive headache and found myself handcuffed to your mother," Valerius snorted regally, "sounds like cheap porn to me."

Kyrian shrugged good naturedly, "seems like it worked out well for the both of us. May I?"

Kyrian held out his arms and Valerius, with only minor hesitation on his part, deposited baby Cece into his uncle's arms.

"He doesn't look like you," Kyrian commented lightly and Valerius beat down the urge to hit the Thracian Prince, it was blatantly obvious that Circero and Valerius were father and son, and Kyrian was just being his usual arsehole self.

"He'll show himself as a conqueror of Greece soon," Valerius could not help but give it to Kyrian after the 'he doesn't look like you' jibe. Kyrian sent him a look of loathing before handing him back.

"What kind of name is Cicero anyway," Kyrian scoffed and Valerius grinned guiltily.

"I had to save him from an even worse fate. If Tabitha had gotten her way this little guy would have been Keanu Horatio Magnus."

Kyrian made a noise that sounded like a horrified gasp and a choke, "she wouldn't!"

"Almost."

Valerius turned away from Kyrian and looked down at his son, a blessing he never in his wildest dreams thought he would have. Because he never thought a woman would ever want to be with him or love him enough to bear him a child. And not some bastard conceived without thought or emotion, but a child of love and tenderness, conceived by parents that would move heaven and earth and all in between to keep him safe and happy. There was a noise by the door and Tabitha was being wheeled back into the room, looking happy but very tired, Valerius approached her and settled the baby into her arms. Tabitha kissed Cece on his cheek and held him close; Valerius sat beside her and stroked back her hair while looking down at his boy.

"The greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother," Valerius murmured and then turned his eyes to Tabitha who wanted to cry at what she found there. "And I love you … so very, very much."


	10. Chapter 10

**(This scene takes place just as Acheron's book finishes but before they are married)**

**Entitled: Pleasure!**

Ash fell back on to the bed with a grunt and barely had time to catch his breath when Tory came climbing like a lioness in heat up onto his chest. He laughed at the sight of her swollen lips and her fired eyes and the rumpled hair, all his doing - something he was very, very proud of. She seized him in a kiss that was dominating and utterly sexy, hitching him up on to a level of aroused he didn't think he'd ever been before. Ash was so used to pleasuring everyone else that he found it hard to lay back and be submissive, but every time he moved to take Tory under him, she used her new found powers, which she had adapted to phenomenally fast, to keep him pinned under her. She took her time running her fingers through his hair and nibbling her way down from his lips to his throat, then his chest. Once she got to stomach she slowed, biting at his ribs and licking his naval and up to his nipples, Ash arched to her mouth and laughed when he felt the sharpness of her teeth.

Tory was manic with need for him. Not just for him, she was manic with need to please him. Through no fault of his own he was an incredibly experienced lover, where he had been her first and would now and forever be her only, Tory was always worried whether or not she could please him properly.

And at her most paranoid whether she pleased him more then Artemis.

Obviously she didn't ask him, it would make her seem small and a typically foolish female, which on most occasions she wasn't. She also didn't want to remind Ash of his time with Artemis; she'd rather cut her tongue out then hurt him with anything that she might say. But she was only human after all … well, she used to be human. With her Goddess powers Tory wasn't sure what it made her, but she could not bring herself to claim the title of Goddess, it reminded her too much Artemis and the great importance she placed on the position. Still, Tory was grateful for her powers, for one thing they came in damn handy when the T.V remote was too far away and she was comfortable on the couch. But for another when she was in the midst of need and arousal like now something … otherworldly kicked in. Like a deep instinct that had lain buried beneath her virginal appearance suddenly rose like a magnificent stallion rearing up and breaking loose from its reigns and riding until its heart was fit to burst. Tory always wanted to please Ash but the thing in her made it a compulsion to please him, she had to say it had rather scared her every time she and Ash had made love. Each time Tory had ended up taking the dominate role, though she had no idea where the need came from, then while on top of him the "stallion" kicked out to be free and the fear it created caused Tory to back down and allow Ash to resume command. But she had had a long, hard talk with herself and decided she would no longer fear joining with Ash because of the unknown. If the stallion wanted to be free then she would throw open the stable doors and give it all the liberty it could stand - she just hoped she and Ash could stand it.

Tory's hands were everywhere and she could barely make conscious thought, just a stream of wishes, hopes and desires flowed through her brain mostly punctuated by her own voice that demanded her to: _Please him! Please him! Need him! Love him! Be him!_

She could hear Ash's heart beating and his gasps when she licked and nipped, heard his moan as she worked him with her hand.

_Please him!_

Tory could feel something at work in her, Ash could feel it too. She knew this because for some reason his thoughts were in her mind, how she knew she couldn't tell but the thing in her knew and was pleased, it meant she was doing something right.

Ash felt like there was lightening in Tory's fingertips, she wasn't touching him in any real erotic way, her hand had left his sex and were running up and down his sides. Yet Ash felt pleasure originate from her very touch, pleasure enough for him to be arching his back and biting his lip to stave off an orgasm. He didn't want to embarrass himself by finishing before he was inside her and she had had her pleasure, he would never be so selfish, not after having a life where people had taken their pleasure from his body and given nothing but pain in return. Tory was the only one who'd ever wanted to please him and she did so tremendously, giving him back tenfold what he gave her. But the feel of her hands - he gasped! Her mouth! She'd just touched her mouth to him; just on his chest above his heart, and the pleasure was as if he were inside her thrusting into her and feeling her body's friction on his sex. It was like the best sex he'd ever had plus more - what was happening to him?

_Please Him, Please Him!_

Her mind was chanting and Tory felt like she could do no other, her body was hot and tight and experiencing pleasure she'd never felt before, even though this was only foreplay. Tory could not help congratulating herself for giving in to the instinct inside her, but before she could get too happy Tory caught sight of Ash's face. The pleasure was the same as if he were in the throes of his climax and it sent her instinct into overdrive, her fangs elongated and before she realised what she was about to do - as her only thought was to make him scream with pleasure - Tory sank her teeth into the flesh over his heart and Ash let out a noise so primal it was akin to a lions roar. The ecstasy was almost an ache, Tory could feel his body's pleasure and it had her climaxing and sobbing in response. It reached such a peak as no mere mortal woman, or man for that matter, would ever understand or experience and Tory could not hold on to it anymore, she had to let it go and when she realised her teeth from Ash's chest, she saw blackness.

* * *

Tory blinked her eyes open and realised she must have passed out, but only for a few moments for Ash's chest ,which she had collapsed on, was still heaving from the aftermath of what had just happened. She raised her head and saw all around them danced soft, coloured lights that reminded her of the lights that reflected around a room when the sun caught a glass prism.

"They appeared when I climaxed, but I don't think it's me doing it," Ash murmured in an awed voice.

Tory didn't say anything as she held herself up on her arms and looked between their bodies, Ash's sex was flaccid but all over both their stomachs, thighs and sex was his seed which he'd released without meaning to when she'd sank her fangs deep. Ash would never have drank blood at all if he'd not been forced into the situation by Artemis, but still he'd never denied that the overall effect of a blood exchange in sex was astonishing and with Tory it only got better, but this … he was almost scared of his reaction to it. He'd never had such a fierce, intense reaction to a blood exchange before, where the pleasure was almost violent.

Tory saw that the bite marks on his chest was still bleeding because she'd blacked out before she could close them, she dipped her head intending on sealing them with her tongue. But as she touched the tip of her tongue to his torn flesh, Ash hissed viciously and jerked, Tory pulled back, frightened that she had hurt him, panicking at the thought of hurting him.

"Sorry, my skin is just too sensitive after that. It feels like I'm going to come again when you do that."

Tory could not help the devil in her and before he could stop her she gave the wound one long, luxurious lick that had him doing exactly what he'd thought it would. Ash arched his back and Tory felt the rushing spurt of hot liquid coat her lower body, she heard him curse in Atlantean and laughed. Tory did it again and again, until he truly was spent and could not move, not even to put his arms around her. Tory moved from him because her knees were aching after being in the same position for such a long time, she laid herself out beside him, Ash moved his head weakly to look at her.

"I made a mess of you," he whispered hoarsely, one could only expect it after the endless shouts and curses he'd let out.

Tory looked down at herself and at him, to another woman it may have seemed obscene and disgusting but to Tory everything about and from Ash was beautiful to her. As strange as it may seem to another.

"Yes, you did. You really did," she replied happily, proudly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't in a position to give back some of … that," Ash said a little dazed, _that _had been some very mind-blowing _that_.

Tory chuckled, "believe me, I got more then you could imagine out of it."

The pride in her voice had Ash laughing with her, she had practically drained him, he'd never felt so empty and full at the same time, so blissfully achy and sleepy. Ash tried to push himself up and found he didn't really have the strength; Tory walked her fingers up his side, the aftershocks still causing his muscles to spasm and contract with her touch.

"Ash, we'll clean up later. We'll eat later and we'll think later. Can I just lay with you now?" Tory asked sleepily, with a delicious pout.

Ash cupped her face in his hand, "I wasn't going anywhere, and I only wanted to see if my legs were actually still there. I can barely feel my body."

"I'm the same," Tory giggled.

"How did you do that?" Ash asked with real wonder and shock in his voice.

"I was hoping you'd tell me actually?"

Ash's eyes widened, "I have no idea. The only one who might know would be -" he stopped abruptly and Tory frowned.

"Artemis?" she asked with a cold voice, Ash snorted derisively.

"Yeah right. As if she could do that to me," Tory felt ten feet tall. "I'm not telling you in case you go and ask her."

"Your mother?"

Ash nodded and Tory laughed, "well, we have to find out -"

"Hell no! I am not having you talking about our sex life to my mother."

"She's my mother-in-law!"

"Forget it, Tory!"

She laughed loudly, deliriously happy, she snuggled close to him and was dozing when she heard Ash mutter to himself.

"Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't happen again until at least next week. I don't think I'll be recovered until then."

Tory hid her smile in his chest.

* * *

Tory looked over at Ash as he stepped out of the shower and used a towel to roughly dry his hair. He was completely naked and beads of water still clung to his chest hair and … other places. He turned to give her a dazzling smile which was made all the more endearing by the fact that he actually blushed when he saw her checking him out. She noted that the bite mark she'd given him on his chest had yet to fade away, not that he minded, when he thought she wasn't looking, Tory sometimes saw him running his hand over it with looks of pride and amazement. He wore it like a badge of honour. Two months had passed since that night and it had happened twice more on the most unexpected occasions, both of them wondered when it would happen again. Though she kept it a secret from Ash, Tory did ask Apollymi about it and the Goddess laughed herself sick when she heard.

"It was a gift given to me when I was young by my sister, Agapa. On my wedding night she told me that when I wanted to truly please my husband it would happen. After I found out about his infidelities …"

Apollymi's face grew hard briefly, "I didn't care about pleasing him. I decided to share it with you, since I have no one to experiment with. Tell me is it … good?"

Tory tried to look demure but only achieved mildly mischievous, before looking around to see if anyone was near by, "Lets put it this way; hotshot could barely speak after it."

Apollymi laughed uproariously, she loved her daughter-in-law so much, even more for her sense of humour. "I know he's my son but it's rather hilarious."

Suddenly Ash's celestial form appeared in front of them, it was the only way he could see his mother without ending the world, he took one look at their faces and gaped at Tory.

"You told her?" he accused in shock, the two women took one look at each other and dissolved into fits of hysterics, Tory trying in vain to catch her breath to apologise. Suddenly - as if this humiliation wasn't enough - Savitar appeared, Ash groaned but the being only grinned evilly. He sauntered over to Ash and looked at the women with a wry smirk.

"Take it from me, Grom, just go with it."

"That's your advice? Just go with it?" Ash asked drolly, trying not to smile as Tory and his mother hung on to each other still trying to speak through laughter.

"Hey, you've got a woman there who wants nothing more then to please you. I'd say you've got a pretty good deal, so yeah, just go with it."

Ash huffed out a laugh and when Tory looked at him his smiled softened into one of joy, he pointed at her and with mock severity, "I'll see you at home."

He winked at Savitar and flashed himself home, hoping this was one of those nights where Tory really wanted to please him.


	11. Chapter 11

**(Takes place just after the end of Fantasy Lover)**

Julian lay back on the sheets and languidly stroked Grace's pillow, he yawned so wide that his jaw cracked and when he shifted under the quilt his leg muscles felt achy. He'd truly worn them out with all the love making he'd put them through, no wonder poor Grace had taken refuge in the bathroom. Truth be told he hated being away from her for a second, he knew intellectually that she was only a few yards away in the bathroom but she was out of sight and for him that was a major anxiety issue. The lights were dimmed to its lowest setting and Julian felt so at peace that he was almost to the point of dozing off when Grace crept back in the room, she slipped under the sheets and snuggled into his side, pillowing her head on his shoulder.

"I am so happy," Julian murmured to her through the soft shadows, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. This time it was for the pure pleasure of holding her, Grace gently scraped her nails over his chest and Julian gave a soft moan of appreciation.

"It feels so good to be this happy," Grace sighed her agreement, "I never thought to be so."

"No?"

"Never."

"Me either. But for me it's more then that. Because the truth is Grace, I never thought I would ever _be _happy, or loved." Julian shook his head in the dark; Grace looked up to see his perfect brows scowling up into the darkness. "I wanted to be loved so much, in any way possible. Not just from woman to man but from a mother or father or friend. Finally I settled for the love of my children and even that was taken away from me, I feel liked I've been stripped of everything and now … now I am so terrified that you'll leave me too."

"I'll never leave you, Julian -"

"You can't know that," Julian said abruptly cutting her off, his eyes looked a little bit frantic, Grace had a feeling that Julian had been brewing over this for a while. "You can't know what the future brings. In my old life time I thought that I would be married to Penelope for the rest of my life, she might not love me but I would still have a wife, my children would grow and marry and provide me with grandchildren and I would die, either in battle or in my bed. I could never have predicted the way my life would turn out."

He turned on his side so he could stare in her eyes and Grace stroked back his hair, it seemed to calm him a bit.

"Julian, I will never leave you. I love you so much, I couldn't leave you even if it my life depended on it."

Julian gave her a wan smile and Grace gave him a small shove which he laughed at.

"What about me? If Selena's right I'm going to be bearing six children are you sure you want me after all that?"

Julian looked suddenly very happy and there was a smile in his voice when he answered. "Of course I will."

"What if I get fat? Will you run for the hills?"

Julian looked offended, "No! I'll always desire you, no matter what. I've seen far too many men lose the best thing that has ever happened to them because they were too blind to see what they had. I shall never, ever be so blind."

Grace smiled impishly, "are you looking forward to the wedding?"

Julian suddenly looked a little uneasy, "I have only ever been to one wedding and that was my own back when I was a soldier … I'm not sure I'll do everything right."

Grace laughed and it warmed Julian's heart, "weddings never go off smoothly, there'll always be a glitch somewhere."

"They do?"

"Well, I've only been to a two in my life, one when I was fourteen that I can't remember very well and the other was Selena's. She freaked a lot of Bill's family out by allowing her sister Tabitha to line the dinner tables with aphrodisiacs. And the cake was shaped like a broomstick - she thought it was funny."

"That's not normal then?" Julian asked apprehensively and Grace laughed.

"Haven't you learnt by now nothing about Selena Laurens is normal?"

* * *

Julian stood at the alter with his stomach squirming, it had been quite a while since he had stood in front of so many people. The priest kept giving him encouraging smiles which Julian could return with a grimace, he shifted a look at Bill who was his best man and noted that he looked as if it were a natural, every day thing for him to stand and be observed by so many people. Julian glanced over his shoulder, the doors to the cathedral remained firmly closed, he felt the sweat bead on his brow.

"Is it normal for her to be this long?" he asked Bill in an undertone; Bill checked his watch and sucked the air through his teeth with a grimace.

"You know, she's taking a while. Maybe she's had second thoughts …"

Julian went white.

"Calm down, man," Bill said with a laugh and Julian barely restrained himself from throttling him. "Everything's going according to plan. Much better then my own wedding."

Julian nodded, gulping in some fresh air, he threw Bill a glare, "I thought the role of the best man was to make life easier for the day."

Bill laughed good-naturedly, "nope, the best man is simply there to stand by your side and laugh as you make undoubtedly either the best or worst decision of your life. I'm just here on Selena's orders to make sure you don't run."

The priest gave Bill a disapproving look and Bill lowered his eyes, pretending to be ashamed until the priest moved out of ear shot, his shitting eating grin flooded back into his face.

"That is hardly going to happen," Julian murmured, more to himself then to Bill. Loving Grace was the most exceptional experience of his adult life - scratch that, his whole life.

"Well, that's what I told Lena," Bill replied, "I like Grace a lot. I'm glad she got herself a nice guy."

Julian laughed at Bill's assessment of him, "is this the part where we hug?"

Bill grimaced, "no that comes later when you book an extra ticket so I can come to … where you kids going again?"

"Seychelles."

Bill whistled, "nice. Lena and I went Vegas."

Julian nodded absently; Grace had suggested going on their honeymoon to Greece but Julian found that he wanted little more to do with the place of his birth. In fact he was happy to simply reside in Grace's cosy house in New Orleans, in the good old U.S of A. But Selena had prepped him on everything Grace had ever wanted for her wedding and honeymoon, and Julian lived to make his soon-to-be wife happy.

Suddenly a hush fell over the people behind him and the organ sounded out the wedding march, Julian turned as the doors came open with a faint creak and through them, looking a little shy but utterly overjoyed was Grace. She wore a long strapless wedding dress whose skirts flared out and corset was sparkling faintly with small hand sewn pearls and diamonds. His money meant Grace could have the wedding of her dreams and Julian felt his breath catch in his throat as she came gliding up the aisle on the arm of Selena's father. Julian forgot where he was and his only thought was reaching for her, he made to move down the three steps and go to her but Bill quickly restrained him.

"Not yet, Fabio," Bill said drolly, but Julian barely recognised the sarcasm in his voice.

Grace wore her beautiful, dark hair up in an elegant chignon and the veil fell over her face, around her neck she wore a very simple diamond necklace and in her ears delicate diamond studs, her hands were bare in anticipation of her wedding ring. When she had come up alongside him Bill cautiously let him go and Julian stayed where he was but was unable to take his eyes from her face, he watched her blush under her veil before giving him such a look that was seared into his memory for all time. It heated his blood on the basest of levels but it also made his heart warm and swell and it was then that Julian had to call on his years of Spartan training to keep his eyes from welling at the sight of his bride.

The priest began to speak and Julian felt a huge smile break on to his face as he repeated the vows to her, then it was all he could do not to pull her into his arms when she began her part.

"You may now kiss the bride," the priest said and Julian let out a husky laugh, this was the part he'd been waiting for. Julian lifted the veil reverently and Grace raised her lowered lids and he felt the full beam of her stare, saw his love for her mirrored in her eyes for him. Julian grazed his hands over her cheeks before he cupped her chin and gently raised it; he lowered himself to her with a warm smile before laying his lips softly over hers. Long and soft was the kiss and Julian pulled back only when he heard the priest pointedly clearing his throat, Grace blushed and looked at him, "sorry father," she mumbled. Grace and Julian then looked at the aisles and a great cheer went up amongst the men, the women were all blowing into their handkerchiefs and wiping their eyes.

Grace looked up at Julian who was grinning in a self-satisfied way, "you okay?" she asked quietly as they descended to leave the cathedral.

"The best day of my life," he murmured to her, Grace laughed.

"That's my line, you know?"

Julian shrugged, "thank you, Grace if not for you I wouldn't be here."

"Oh Julian," Grace giggled as she stopped so she could pull him close and fasten her mouth to his, amidst a few wolf whistles from the men. "If not for you, neither would I."


	12. Chapter 12

Apollymi pulled the black satin cushion on to her lap and played gently with the threading that spelt out His name in Atlantean. If only the world had been different, she may have held him in her arms … For so many years Apollymi had cried in this garden, had fits of gargantuan rage that threatened to destroy everything around her. In the latter part of the recent century things had happened in such quick succession, from Stryker's plotting and betrayal to Katra being free from Artemis, that Apollymi found she hadn't sat and wept over the loss of her son and the tragedy that was his life as much as she used to. Since his miraculous marriage to Soteria, Apollymi though still aching over what her son had had to endure during his life time, and for her incapacity to prevent it, felt a tremendous sense of relief of weight and worry lifted. Of course, she would always worry about her son, it was a mother's job and she would always grieve for what was and what might have been, but he had finally found love and purpose and that eased her heart somewhat. Since Ash's marriage to Tory and the settling of events, though her psychic powers did sense a malevolent stirring in the proverbial weeds, Apollymi had experienced something that she could honestly say she had never, ever experienced before in her prison.

Boredom.

Wasn't it strange? She'd been locked up for centuries, aeons, yet it was only now that her son's happiness, or lack thereof, had been sorted out that she truly felt that she had run out of purpose. Sure she still despised Artemis and would love an opportunity of ripping the bitch's throat out, but she was realistic enough to know the Goddess wouldn't come within ten miles of the Atlantean hell realm. For Apollymi wasn't the only one that hated her, before her Artemis would have to find her way past Stryker, his vicious wife Zeph and the rest of the Spathi who detested the twin sister of their benevolent father. Apollymi wished the pillow back to her room and stayed in her garden by her rose bushes, the black roses gleamed like finely polished onyx, some that were cast in the shade looked more like downy velvet. They were her pride and they reminded Apollymi of herself, unlike the pathetic fickle human roses, the black Atlantean roses which were the symbol of the destroyer were resilient. Everlasting through time and adverse weather they stayed, flourishing in the most barren of soil, even growing from stone, the black roses refused to die or be killed. Which was why it was such an honour to have them bestowed upon a person, they weren't given out just willy nilly.

Apollymi sighed listlessly, even they could not bring her any measure of enjoyment or comfort, she flicked the petals and they flicked right back. Apollymi laughed, they were exactly like her. She wished dearly that someone would come and visit her; normally she wished to be left alone by everyone - save her son. Even Katra had to be careful about the times she chose to visit in case Apollymi wasn't up to entertaining. Apollymi was kicking her way listlessly around the garden when she felt a psychic tremor shiver through the air; she turned just as a comic sized pain in the ass flashed into her garden - now it was officially a hell realm.

"Put some real clothes on, why don't you?" Apollymi sneered, Savitar laughed as he approached with usual casually, sexy lope. Apollymi was goddess enough to recognise the man bled power from his very pores; the destroyer that was the very core of her being actually admired this man's destructive powers and heart of stone.

"As usual, Apollymi, you are ever welcoming." Savitar gave a sarcastic bow and Apollymi snarled before turning her back on him.

"And to what do I owe this … honour," Apollymi said scathingly, she flicked a look over her shoulder and Savitar raised an eyebrow, "I'm assuming you haven't just made my day worse on a whim?"

"Actually I am fulfilling orders," Savitar caught up with her and kept pace as she travelled further under the hanging bowers of the garden.

Apollymi snorted, "Don't be absurd! When have you ever done anything you were told or that wasn't in some way advantageous to you?"

Apollymi didn't expect an answer, but she should of, Savitar for as long as she'd known him had an untiring smart mouth.

"Very true, lady lethal -" Apollymi flicked him a glare at the name but inside she was greatly amused by him, and she knew he could sense it. "However when I have been roped into doing favours for a certain love sick son of your's, I do as I'm told. Plus I get to see my favourite woman in the world."

Savitar grinned and Apollymi cocked her head with a disbelieving look, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Savitar shrugged innocently, or as innocently as one can look when his whole physical demeanour said he was capable of committing mass murder - and liking it.

"Don't play dumb or coy, Savitar, it doesn't suit you." He looked flattered. "Since when have I ever been your favourite woman?"

"Now that hurts," Savitar said good-naturedly, "you must feel the connection from one homicidal maniac to another?"

She didn't want to, she really didn't, but she let out a laugh and Savitar felt incredibly pleased with himself.

"Fair enough."

Apollymi kept walking and Savitar fell into pace with her, they walked in silence for a few minutes, and Savitar flicked a look at his companion under his lashes. She looked frustrated.

"Is this what you do all day?" he asked without sounding disdainful about it which was a surprise to Apollymi.

"Well, as fun as it maybe to you, hell has limited attractions for me after the last eleven thousand years of being here."

"You must be bored enough to do something crazy. Like go and sink a continent."

Apollymi threw him a glare, "were I a delicate woman, you despicable slime, I would be wounded by you raking up one of the worst days of my life."

Savitar snorted disbelievingly, "You're about as delicate as an iron rod."

Apollymi felt pleased at his acknowledgement of her strength and resilience, she spared a fond look for her roses when they passed them again.

"Why don't you go and pick sand out of your crotch or whatever it is you beach cretins do on your days off?"

Savitar laughed.

"Oh yes, I forgot your whole life is one big day off. Utterly useless," she muttered to herself. Savitar slowed his pace and waited until Apollymi had out walked him a few steps.

"You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, right?" He inquired casually, waiting with great anticipation for her retort.

"Only people who are on the end of it say that," she responded wittily, as usual. Savitar laughed once more, he always seemed to do so around this goddess. It was rather sick really that he got a kick out of her insulting him and doing the same back.

"Truce, destroyer," he offered, "just for today?"

Apollymi gave him a grudging smile, "you're rather cute when you're trying to be nice, Sav."

He winced at the nickname and she laughed, she plucked one of her precious roses from its bush and twirled it gently in her fingers. Savitar raised an eyebrow at her, even though they argued constantly and had only just gotten over a barely concealed dislike for each other; he had to admit the Destroyer was one good looking female.

"So what are you going to do today?" he asked and she shrugged.

"What can I do, there's nothing to do. It's almost enough to make seeing you something to be glad about."

Savitar grabbed his heart, "ouch!" he mocked, she laughed lightly and held up a hand.

"Forgive me; I forgot that our uneasy truce had been struck."

"Got a T.V?"

"A what?" Apollymi looked aghast and Savitar laughed nastily.

"A T.V, dear," he drawled mockingly, "a television? Surely even here in this hole you've heard of them?"

Apollymi would have likely opened her mouth to insult him again but Savitar didn't give her the chance, grabbing her hand he hauled her through the doors towards a grandiose room. It was Apollymi's version of a lounge, dark silks were draped dramatically over anything that stood still, it wasn't Savitar's taste at all but then he didn't have to live here. He snapped his fingers and a flat screened T.V formed upon the black marble table, he looked sideways at Apollymi who didn't seem impressed. Savitar ran and threw himself onto Apollymi's chaise lounge; he took pleasure in watching her wince when it gave an ominous creak.

"If you do that again," Apollymi warned in a dangerous voice, "I promise to castrate you!"

"Ooh!" Savitar mocked then gave the end of the sofa a pointed look, "sit down, woman! You make the place look untidy!"

Apollymi did not respond but sat stiffly on the end of the couch and the T.V came on suddenly, with a flare of colour and noise that made her jump.

"Let's see," Savitar clucked his tongue, "why don't we watch world's worst natural disasters? That should be right up your alley. Or that new movie, 2012? I hear they modelled it on your work."

Apollymi's lips twitched and she relaxed herself into the cushions and so the evening went on.

They'd watched every disaster movie Savitar could think of, he'd even manifested a bowl of popcorn that neither of them really ate but he said it made the experience authentic.

"Is this what humans do?" Apollymi asked and Savitar once again showed that mocking smile, he shrugged.

"How should I know?"

"You have more of an idea then me," Apollymi murmured then looked at the screen thoughtfully, "you know if I were not so bound by my word to destroy that which I have sworn I would, I think I would leave my revenge behind and try to start a new life."

"Would you?" Savitar asked seriously, he watched her face carefully.

"I would try," she said with a quiet, mirthless laugh, "by the source I would try. Then I may be able to sit in those theatres and watch movies."

To stop her being maudlin Savitar laughed, "Not by yourself. That would truly be pathetic."

"You could take me," Apollymi said as if it was obvious and Savitar laughed again though inside he felt … tender.

"But then it would be compulsory for me to do the yawn thing."

"Yawn thing?"

Savitar gave a great false yawn and stretched his arms up, Apollymi's eyes narrowed and she stiffened when he laid one of his arms over her shoulders. Apollymi frowned at him and for once he did not flash her a cocky smirk, the warmth and weight of his arm was unfamiliar to her, she hadn't felt a man touch her, even in this innocent way, for aeons.

"Take your paws off me, cretin!" Apollymi said without much heat and Savitar laughed, pulling back grateful to her for breaking the moment. He cleared his throat and Apollymi raised her eyebrow at him, he stood up and stretched, keeping his back to her and when he turned, his eyes were averted.

"I'm going to go now, being with you too long does bad things for my Zen."

Suddenly Savitar's clothes transformed into a suit and tie, Apollymi heard him growl at her.

"Savitar?"

He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Thank you." He nodded and disappeared and Apollymi checked that she was alone before lying crawling further up the couch and lying in his spot, where his warmth and scent were still there.


	13. Chapter 13

**The beginning of this was taken almost directly from Dream Chaser. I do not own any of the characters, blah, blah, blah, you know the rest …**

"You know, Xypher, I really hate you. Truly. I have to say torturing you has been one of my greatest pleasures. And now, just like always, you're pissing me off."

Hades watched Xypher's innately sarcastic face looked bewildered for a moment before he spoke.

"I'm strung up here waiting to be beaten. Tell me, how in the hell could that possibly piss _you _off?"

Hades kept his face impassive the snarled.

"Because I have to let you go you bastard."

"What?" Looking gormless was something that Hades wouldn't have believed the savvy, sarcastic dream-hunter come demon could have pulled off but he did it, as he did with most things, with style.

"The bargain I made with Kat … remember? I allow you to be human for a month and if within that month's time you can find your humanity, you're free. You selflessly sacrificed yourself for another. And it didn't even take you a month. Damn you."

Hades looked at the chains binding the demon and they, like everything else in the underworld, conformed to Hades unspoken bidding and uncoiled themselves from his wrists. Xypher fell to the floor with a small thud and a 'woof!"

"Get out of here, Skotos!" Hades sneered angrily, "I can't hold you anymore."

Xypher flicked one last look up at Hades and flashed himself out of the cell leaving Hades staring at the spot which he had occupied for centuries. It suddenly looked less lonely without a soul in there being tortured. Hades made sure he was alone before allowing the belligerent look to slide from his face and his smile to come forward. Jaden liked to believe that he commanded everything and everyone with his powers, but one thing that nearly every pantheon did not know was that the gods and goddesses of the dead were rather immune to certain types of magic. Gods of the dead were rarely evil, they were usually impartial, an avenger for humanity when the souls of their damned and evil had been flushed from the earth. But death was a mystery even the gods didn't understand, laws and rules that governed could be completely disregarded in the face of death and the creation of life. Were Hades a genius he would sit and try to work out the equations of why deaths cancelled cosmic debts and flouted universal decrees of physics but he did not think even he had that much time. All that he did know was that as keeper of the dead he was immune to the magic that Jaden had cast and he knew that it had been Satara that should have been brought to justice and not Xypher. Late though it was Hades was glad that the laws of justice and destiny had worked their wills and freed an innocent.

Quite unexpectedly Hades felt someone grip his wrist and turned with the skill of a trained fighter and held the person at the wall, he immediately let go with a cry.

"Seph! Damn it, are you hurt?" Hades exclaimed looking tortured. Nothing meant more to him then his wife, and since she was back with him for the winter he didn't want to give her a reason to want to go back to Olympus early. However Persephone just gave a breathless laugh, breathless but triumphant.

"I knew I could do it!" she laughed, "I've been practicing for ages, I knew one day I would be able to sneak up on you without you sensing it!"

"Persephone!" Hades scolded with a deep, commanding voice, that Seph merely raised an unamused eyebrow at. "I need to have my guard up at all times, in case someone thinks to threaten us! How can I do that if I fear turning one day and hurting you?"

"Oh, be quiet," she snapped at him and it took all the bluster out of him, "like I'm going to fall for that. You just don't like that I can make Hades, big bad Lord of the dead, jump."

Hades narrowed his eyes at her and she wagged her eyebrows teasingly, he relented and allowed his mouth to soften.

"Now there's my handsome husband I was looking for," she purred and came forward into his arms.

Hades smirked and folded his arms around her, inhaling her scent deeply, feeling a tinge of sadness that although she was here with him now, she would be gone come spring.

"Hmm," Hades said, feeling a settled peace steal over him with her against his body, "the only thing in the whole underworld that does not conform to my bidding. And it is the thing I love the most."

"You would tire of me were I to conform to your wishes," she sighed happily, feeling unbelievably tender at his words.

"You think I like having you oppose me?" Hades laughed.

"Most definitely," Seph replied firmly and pulled back to kiss his lips, Hades gave a pleasurable moan and flash himself and Seph from that God forsaken cell. He transported her to his throne room and she took her place on her dainty white marble throne, next to his thick, black marble one. Hades sat next to her and turned his eyes on her, they usually came here and had long, winding conversations that took them into the night, when they would retire and dine together in their bedroom, still carrying on the conversations. Until he saw a certain gleam in his wife's eyes and he knew she wanted him to carry her like a barbarian to her bed and ravish her until dawn. Some people would likely think them boring, for they rarely ventured out of the hell realm and enjoyed other people's company. But to them it was paradise. When one was separated from the person they love the most for nine months out of the year, every moment spent with them and hearing their voice was precious. And surely, if one loved their partner enough, how could they become bored with their company?

"You're glad Xypher has gone?" Persephone asked, leaning around to look more directly into Hades face.

"He offends me with every breath he takes," Hades snarled.

Persephone leant over to hit him, "you are a bad liar, Hades."

Hades raised a brow at her, "How?"

"I always believed that he was innocent," Persephone said thoughtfully.

"Did you?"

"Of course," Seph looked at him with loving eyes, "why else would you travel to Olympus and consult the fates about him. You would never do that for a man you believed brutally murdered innocent people."

"You knew about that?" Hades said keeping his voice neutral; he'd thought his actions a secret.

"I know everything about you, Hades. Besides a man with absolutely no humanity cannot find it within two weeks after years of being beaten. He's lucky he never got the humanity beaten from him."

It was what I was always afraid of," Hades said quietly and Persephone reached across and gripped his big hand with her little one.

"I knew it hurt you, love. It's why I love you so," she said as she got up and settled herself in his lap, her arms hanging loosely around his neck. "Such a good man," she murmured her heart in her voice.

"Do you believe that?" Hades asked sincerely, he'd questioned it himself over the years.

"Would I love a man that was not?" she countered, stroking his eyebrow with her forefinger. "I knew you were different from the moment I saw you. The others lived for themselves and only themselves, I couldn't work out what you lived for and it made me want to find out."

"I live for you, Seph," Hades said fiercely and Seph leant her forehead against his temple, both of them thinking about life without the other.

"You honour me with your love, Hades, you truly do," Seph whispered to him, making his eyes sting, "I always wondered why you felt I was worthy of your love. I was care-free and immature and had no knowledge of hardship. A beautiful, simple goddess in a golden cage." She muttered resentfully, blushing at how accurately she described herself.

Hades shook his head; she never ceased amazing him, or humbling him.

"Beautiful is correct, but simple is one thing you are not. Care-free is a quality of youth and I don't even you can help the fact that you were young when we met, even I had to be young to become old."

Persephone laughed, "such a philosopher."

Hades continued with a smile on his lips, "But you are kind, Seph, so unbelievably kind, and giving. I'd never known anyone on Olympus to possess such qualities before you. What other person would have told me to befriend a God-killer?"

Persephone looked confused for a moment then comprehension dawned, "Acheron," she whispered.

"Exactly," Hades nodded, "even I was thinking of all the ways to kill him when he turned up, but you conjured and pillow and a blanket and told him to say how long he wanted. Even though he was fearsome and repulsive to look upon."

Persephone chuckled softly, before looking up at Hades with a gleam in her eyes, "let's skip the talk. Take me to bed."


	14. Chapter 14

Vane stopped at the traffic light and glanced over at his wife, she was driving him crazy - and not in the she's-bugging-the-shit-out-of-me-with-all-that-nagging kind of crazy. Bride kept insisting that she wasn't dieting but she was noticeably losing weight, and yeah it could be down to the fact that she didn't really eat that much and that they had sex - a lot, still Vane always worried in case she was doing anything silly. She'd once told him she'd used diet pills and starved while she was dating he-who-Vane-refused-to-name-because-it-made-him-want-to-kill-something. Vane couldn't believe the extent she'd been driven to by people who supposedly cared about her, he just hoped she never got the idea in her head that she actually wanted to be like all of the rest of those skinny women. Vane couldn't help it, ever since he'd become sexually active as a cub just out of puberty, he'd preferred the, shall we say, meatier woman. And from the moment he'd seen Bride he had found his physical ideal in a woman, then she'd turned out to be his ideal on every level and Vane was ever conscious of making sure she knew it. Still, Vane thought with a grin, he must be doing something right for there was a time when Bride would not have worn a dress like she had on tonight. A black, knee length little number that made Vane salivate, the off the shoulder sleeves were long and drew his attention to her pretty shoulders and neck. When he'd seen her coming down the stairs in that dress he'd reacted like the animal he'd been raised to be, howling like a maniac he'd taken her down to the floor and he'd … Vane grinned wider, he'd given her a good seeing to, as the English say.

"What are you grinning at?" Bride asked curiously, Vane looked over and his smile softened, he's hand left the gear stick to caress her cheek.

"I really like your dress, Bride," he said and his mate laughed heartily.

"I noticed earlier this evening, when you had to repair it for me," Bride said with a mock glare and this time Vane laughed, remembering his wildness.

"I hope you realise there will be a repeat performance of that scene later tonight?"

"I should hope so!"

Vane chuckled and then sighed, "damn, if only your father hadn't have called, we'd still be in the floor. Me inside of you, your legs around me …"

Vane shivered and licked his lips, before piercing her with a hot stare, Bride's face had grown hot along with her body and the way she was staring at him told Vane that he wasn't the only one wishing that Bride's parent's anniversary party was cancelled tonight.

Vane eased around the corner into the McTierney's street and groaned, Vane didn't regret the frisky session with Bride earlier in the evening but it did put a kibosh on getting a parking space. The only thing that Bride's big Irish family celebrated more then a wedding was the remembering of one, an anniversary.

"Holy shi -"

"Shoot!" Bride exclaimed suddenly, Vane stopped what he was going to say to throw her an amused look.

"I'll shoot anything you want me to," he said and Bride laughed and pointed at a red BMW, Vane recognised it.

"Shit!" Vane cried and Bride slapped him and nodded back at Trace, Vane made a face, "like he can understand."

Bride gave him a glare.

"I thought Deidre said she couldn't make it," Bride said trying to keep the misery out of her voice, Vane didn't pretend at all and made whimpering dog noises as he drove further down the street for somewhere to park. "She told my mother that the car was too unreliable to drive and she might not be able to make it."

"What I want to know," Vane grumbled trying to manoeuvre through the sea of steel and bumpers, "is why she insists on using a car when she's got a perfectly good broomstick?"

Bride laughed at him and then grimaced, "best behaviour, Vane," she warned.

Vane just growled low in his throat, Bride sighed, ever since her marriage to Vane, Bride's relationship with her sister had become more and more strained. So much so that at one family gathering Bride's mother and father had had to take Deidre home, for several months Bride had refused to speak to her and only relented because her mother had begged. Bride hated how it had gone between them and she could only put it down to Deidre's jealousy that she hadn't scooped a good a man as Vane. Or that Bride and Vane had stayed married for so long and would, unbeknown to Deidre and Bride's family, continue to stay married longer then she could imagine. Deidre's divorce had affected her hard but Bride didn't see why she and Vane seemed to irritate that wound for her. Vane felt a twisting in his stomach and was reminded of the first time he'd ever met Bride's family, that Thanksgiving around seven years ago, it made him think of his brother Fury and Vane imitated his take on the whole situation.

"Dum dum dum dum," Vane hummed the Dragnet tune, which was very appropriate to Vane's mind, the nights usually started off okay and then went down hill once Deidre had reached five times her alcohol limit. Bride laughed at him, she then turned to stare out the window at her old family home. Vane studied his mate's side profile and gave an inward sigh at how beautiful she was and what a lucky bastard he was. She wore her hair down tonight, the long auburn ringlets flowed down her back and when standing laid all springy just on the small of her back.

"You okay, lady wolf?" Vane whispered to her stroking his thumb over her ear, he saw her eyes close and a smile play over her lips as she shivered at his touch, Vane licked his bottom lip. The things she could still make his body do … damn!

"I'm fine, baby," she said back, her voice soft and sweet in the stillness of the car, Vane leant forward and laid his lips on hers. Bride responded eagerly as she always did and only gave a small excited squeal when his hand landed on her thigh and massaged erotically. Vane was just pondering, rather unashamedly, over all the ways he could possibly drop Trace on to his Grandma and Grandpa and get Bride home for a quickie when there was a loud knock on the window that made both Vane and Bride jump apart.

"Hey kids!" Bride's brother grinned like a loon through the window; Bride had her hand on her rapidly beating heart and scowled at him.

"Patrick, you fool!" She rolled down the window.

"Hey, buddy, what'cha doing with my sister!" Patrick growled at Vane who flipped him off but couldn't help grinning at Patrick's ever cheerful, round face.

"A lot if you hadn't shown up," Vane responded and relished Patrick's grimace.

"You have wrecked my peace of mind for life!" Patrick groaned.

"How do you think we got Trace?" Bride asked sarcastically.

"I assumed you found him under a haystack and took pity on the little squirt," Patrick said and left their window to press his face up against the back one where Trace was sat. The baby squealed with delight at seeing his uncle acting so stupid and made an attempt to escape his car seat.

"Hey, Pat, what's it like in there?" Bride asked, undoing her seat belt.

"Like every McTierney party," he said simply and Vane and Bride exchanged identical, well-lets-get-this-over-with looks.

"Is Deidre in there?" Bride asked and Patrick's face became serious as he nodded.

"Don't worry Bride," he said, "dad made her promise to be good and not drink her own body weight in alcohol."

"That's always a good thing," Bride muttered and she and Vane got out the car, Patrick whistled at Bride when he saw her outfit.

"Why you all dressed up?" he remarked and Bride punched him in the shoulder, he laughed and backed away.

"I'm kidding," he giggled, holding his hands up in surrender, "you look pretty, no you do. You … you scrub up good, kid."

He gave his kid sister a softer smile and a hug; he broke away and looked at Vane.

"You," he said as if he didn't think much of Vane's $400 suit, "you will always look like a part time pimp and drug lord."

"Well it was either this or a kilt; I told the tailor there were already too many Irish at the party."

"There can never be too many Irish at a party," Patrick laughed loudly and he tutted at Bride, "that's what you get for marrying an Englishman!"

Vane rolled his eyes, the fact that he was originally from England was something that Patrick ribbed him about constantly, though as far as Patrick knew Vane was of English descent and not actually born there a few hundred years ago. In fact Vane was more English then the whole McTierney family were Irish, something he pointed out to Bride who found it hilarious. Patrick's loud laughter had a neighbour across the street pointedly slamming her window hard and all three of them winced.

"Sorry, Mrs. Lopez," Pat shouted across to her, "you enjoy your night now -" he dropped his voice to a mutter so only Bride and Vane could hear. "You enjoy your night and have a shave."

Bride slapped his arm and shook her head at him while Vane laughed, she then went to get Trace out, who was waiting quiet and patient as he always did, slobbering on the ear of his stuffed wolf.

"Okay, I'll see you three inside, I'm going to find Uncle Sean, see if he's drunk enough to do his trick with the fish hook."

Bride winced and Patrick ran back to the house, she looked over at Vane who raised an eyebrow.

"What trick with the -"

"You don't want to know."

Vane opened his mouth to ask again but decided he truly didn't want to know, he just shook his head. "And you say about my family," he muttered and looked up to see Bride throwing him a glare; he smiled winningly and came around the car once she had Trace in her arms.

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked, kissing Trace's cheek, Vane was about to take him then pulled his arms back.

"I love you, son," Vane said sincerely to Trace who was smiled happily at his father, oblivious to what Vane was saying. "But if I don't hold you Deidre has got no reason to approach me."

Bride smiled and gave him a lets-go-to-hell look and Vane put his arm around her waist, feeling ten feet tall and prouder then ever at having Bride on his arm. He pressed a kiss into her hair as he walked her, and slipped his hand down so it was on her ass when they got to the front door, a clear physical warning that Bride was his mate. Bride rang the bell and waited, the door was opened by Bride's mother who looked positively flushed with happiness. They stepped inside and were soon supplied with drinks and food, Trace was cooed over by the women and his hair was ruffled by the men. From the garden there was the sound of a crowd collectively shrieking and making noises of disgust, apparently Uncle Sean was doing his trick. At some point during the night Bride was whisked away from his side and Trace was deposited in his arms, Vane watched Trace's lids droop lower and lower and his head rested on his father's shoulder. Vane kissed his son's head, thinking of a time long ago when he would have said he would never have cubs, yet here he was holding one of the most precious things in his life. With that time long ago as distant a memory as could be.

Vane left Bride with her parents to quickly go upstairs and put the baby down in the crib they kept at Bride's parent's house in the spare room. Vane had just finished stripping Trace down to his diaper and settling him in the crib when he heard the door open, he suppressed a groan with difficulty - he knew that scent.

"What do you want, Deidre?" Vane asked with an exasperated sigh, he turned to see her leaning against the door frame with a glass of wine hanging languidly in her hand, reeking of cigarette smoke and stale perfume. Her eyes which were not like Bride's soulful amber but a hard blue, were bright and glassy, she had teased her hair into a curled mess that had dropped through the night and looked terrible. Her eye make-up was smudged, her face powder needed reapplying and her lipstick had been wiped away after the many times she had wiped her hand over the back of her mouth after a gulp of alcohol. Her mint green dress was short and in Vane opinion did nothing for her figure or her looks, yet she tried to strike a sexy pose and let her shoulder strap slip down her arm. To some men she would have looked tempting and seductive; to Vane she looked cheap and drunk.

"I want to know something," she said loudly and belligerently, weaving into the room on drunken legs, she knocked back the rest of the liquid in her glass and wiped her chin with her palm. "Why are you with my sister?"

Vane made an irritated noise in his throat and rolled his eyes, had Trace not been asleep he would have walked out of the room but the animal in him would not allow his only young to stay in a room with this woman, aunt or no aunt.

"Go away, Deidre." Deidre cackled drunkenly, before swaying over to the spare bed, she sat on it, flinging the glass away; it hit the soft carpet and didn't break.

"I want to know how you ended up with my sister and why you stayed with her?" she laughed stupidly, trying to cross her legs but the immense alcohol in her blood seemed to confuse her about how many she had.

"I love Bride, I always have," Vane snapped at her, "now leave, Trace needs to sleep."

Deidre cackled mockingly and Vane simply stared at her with disgust, he had nothing against a good drink he just didn't like her.

"You love Bride?" she chuckled, "You love my big, fat baby sister?"

Vane growled but Deidre was too drunk to sense a threat.

"Come on, Vane, you don't love her," she said, smoothing the creases from her skirt.

"You know nothing," Vane hissed at her, praying she would pass out so he could drag her out the room and leave her in the hallway.

"I know what men want, Vane," Deidre said, "I know that men do not look at my sister, especially men like you. But men look at me, they want me. You've never looked at me, Vane. I want to know why?"

"Because I love Bride and I wouldn't look at any other woman, especially her sister," Vane growled, he could smell her jealousy and was baffled. He couldn't understand the things that made humans jealous; surely Deidre should be happy that her sister was with a man that loved her.

"Bullshit!" Deidre said, her eyes and voice brittle, "that's bullshit. My husband left me for another woman. I will not believe that a guy like you would stay with a woman like Bride for love. You could have had any woman, you could have had me, but you chose her. I want to know what Bride has that I don't!"

Vane let the sneer show on his face and perhaps he would have hit her, Vane could not have predicted his own actions at that point, but the door opened. Paul stood there looking stern and angry, he nodded to Vane then looked at his eldest daughter who stared defiantly back, behind him was Bride.

"Deidre, get out here now," Paul ordered in a stern but calm voice, Deidre did as her father said, her arms wrapped around herself while she sobbed shakily, when she was near Paul took hold of her arm roughly and took her from the room. Bride let them go; looking after her sister with sad eyes then came in and shut the door. Vane sensed her sadness and her upset, he held his arms out to her and she came eagerly into his hold, rubbing her face against his chest, Vane knew she was crying even though she made no sound because he could smell her tears. When she was spent Bride pulled back and wiped at the wet on his shirt, Vane leant down and kissed at her cheek in the way a dog would nudge at his owner when he wanted attention.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," Bride said with a watery laugh, "I've thought the same thing for years."

"What?" Vane asked bewildered, Bride raised her pretty amber eyes and gave a meek shrug.

"Why you're with me." Vane's face hardened with anger, he took Bride's chin in his hand and made her meet his eyes dead on.

"How could I not?" he asked fiercely, "don't you know what you do to me? And it's not just the mark, I know its not! You gave me peace and solace in my darkest time, accepted me when all others would reject me, loved me when I had no one. You gave me the most precious gift that no other could give me -"

Vane looked at Trace, "you gave me a son. A piece of you I can hold when your not there, your likeness when I need to see you."

Bride smiled, she took her chin from his hand and kissed his fingers, Vane stroked at her skin loving its softness.

"And I don't want to lower the tone," Vane continued in a more matter of fact way, "but no one else has turned me on in the way you do."

Bride laughed.

"It's true!" Vane insisted earnestly, "all you have to do is walk to close to me and I get hard. When I wake up the first thing I do is reach for you so I can be inside you …"

Bride sighed happily and put her arms around her mate's neck, "take me home?"

Vane grinned naughtily and flashed his Bride and son to their beautiful happy home.


	15. Chapter 15

The most incongruous sight for the visitors of _La Petite Pied _baby shop in Paris had to be the six foot giant Goth, towering over the delicate, pastel coloured blankets. On his own he walked leisurely from one display to the next under the cautious eyes of the wary security guards and the snobbish store girls. Occasionally he would lower his sunglasses to the bridge of his nose to look at something that caught his eye, then before the women of the store could catch a glimpse of his eye colour he raised them again. Trying to appear disgusted or nonchalant was the hardest task for the store girls and their manager, for none of them could truly conceal the hot attraction and arousal they felt for him when he walked. The dangerous, American stranger made them think of nights of the wildest, most out of control sex, and each individually smiled when they saw him reach out to a teddy bear and caress its silky paw.

"Your child will be wearing some very expensive clothes there."

Ash raised his eyes to a middle aged, bald man who held a basket like Ash's and was filled with frilly pink things as opposed to Ash's robin egg blue.

"Children," Ash corrected softly in perfect French but with a smile, "twin boys."

"You're first?" Ash was about to reply no then stopped; he wasn't sure how to answer the man. As much as it pained him Ash had never known Katra, his only blood child, as a baby or infant. He'd never seen the first steps or heard the first word, and as for Simi, she was his daughter but she was no where near human.

"They have two older sisters," Ash said finally and the man chuckled, Ash read the guy's mind and smirked. The man couldn't believe that a boy as young as Ash had already produced to kids and had another two on the way. He was thankful his fifteen year old son - who to the man's mind was only a few years younger then Ash - had the brains to keep it in his pants.

"Children are so damned expensive," the man grumbled, picking up a pink edged bottle, "I mean, why can't they just have the cheap stuff. No, mother wants only the best for her children."

Ash could see that the man, who loved his children and his wife dearly, was worried about how he was going to pay for the new addition to the family. It kept him up at night wondering how he was going to make sure there was food in their bellies and a roof over their heads.

"Everything will be fine," Ash said without thinking and the man looked at him quizzically, Ash bit his lip and turned to stare at the display of baby boots. The man meandered away back over to his wife and Ash sighed, he wished those women would stop looking at him. Suddenly he felt a pinch on his ass, his eyes flew wide behind his glasses and he turned expecting to see some ditzy shop assistant.

"Sota," Ash breathed with relief, he's breath caught at the way her wide, brown eyes laughed at him.

"Hey baby," she said with a smile and got on her tiptoes to kiss him, he obliged her immediately and pulled back to show her what he'd picked up.

"Aww," Tory said with a laugh as she picked up the matching little suits, "they are adorable."

Ash, who had never been one for cuteness, smiled at the little brown bunnies and ducks on they itty bitty babygros.

"Look what I got," Tory said proudly, and began riffling through her bags. "The upstairs in this place is _soo _much better. Look at this, just perfect for our little ones."

Ash's chest felt warm when she said that and he couldn't resist reaching his hand out and cupping her bump that was just beginning to show. He let out a loud crack of laughter when Tory held up a black baby grow with skull and cross bones all over it, then she pulled out another.

"I got two of these, look what it says."

The letters read 'trouble comes in twos', another said 'we look like our papa', another little t-shirt said 'When I grow up I'm going to be like my dad … and rule the world.'

Ash laughed heartily at that one and his hand that was still on Tory's belly felt his babies' kick, as though they sensed their father's happiness.

"Look at this one," Tory exclaimed excitedly, "I got it printed out, you know they do that up there?"

She held up a t-shirt saying 'made in New Orleans', Tory beamed down at the doll like clothes before she put them away. They walked to the check out and paid for their purchases before flashing back to Katateros. Ash immediately turned to take the bags from Tory.

"You go and lie down," he told her, "you look a little tired."

And as big as a house," Tory grimaced, rubbing her hand affectionately over the meagre bump, Ash smiled tenderly. He knew that though she griped about getting fatter Tory had got up every morning since finding out she was pregnant to see if the evidence of the two perfect beings were growing within her.

"No, more like a self-contained bungalow," Ash teased, making Tory laugh even as she swiped at him, Ash kissed her cheek and watched her walk away with affection and love brimming his eyes. He turned and made his way to the nursery; Ash opened the door and stepped in quietly, as if he were practicing for when the two sleeping babes were finally there. Ash closed the door gently and stood with his back leaning against it, admiring the scene before him. Ash had insisted that they decorate the room, with the help of Urian, Alexion and Savitar, in the human way. Ash admired their handiwork feeling extremely pleased with it. Alexion had turned out to be quite an artist while Savitar thrilled Tory by having thousands of twinspired ideas for the room.

* * *

The room itself was huge and airy, with each large corner depicting picturesque spring and summer landscapes on their walls. The Harry Potter inspired ceiling changed depending on whether it was day or night rather then the weather, Tory and Ash agreed that it might be rather traumatic for them to try and feed in the middle of a thunder storm. Ash cast his face towards the ceiling, the sun there was gentle as it rained golden warmth upon his face, and when night fell his babies would sleep under a blanket of stars and the magnificence of the Milky Way. To the right of the room were the boys large crib, it was tucked securely against the wall under a lovingly draped canopy of pale blue, silk bunting. Ash had asked Tory if the boys could sleep together in their crib, Tory had agreed without question which Ash was glad about. Of course she already knew why he couldn't bare the thought of his twins being separated, it stemmed back to memories that Ash should have been too young to remember. But his Godly powers were at work even then, and had gifted him with cognitive awareness and feeling while in his newborn state. He remembered the feeling of crying and reaching for his brother after they had been ripped apart. After nine months in the womb together, locked to each others side for companionship and comfort, Acheron and Styxx had been torn apart.

The crib itself was in the shape of a large egg with hinges on the side so that it opened up when the babies were to be put down for sleep. Then the top, which was a ornate cage of diamond shapes in navy blue and gold wrapped around Ash's own symbol, could be pulled back over with enough room so that their mobile could hang freely without fear of the babies pulling it down. It effectively cocooned them safely inside together, where no one could take them apart. Ash walked to the closet and began to methodically and carefully put away the clothes, adding them to the hundreds that were already there. He then sat in the dark cherry wood rocking chair and slipped a book from the shelf, running his hand over the cover. He was blind to the title but it was likely to be 'The Hungry Caterpillar' or something from Dr. Seuss. Ash removed his glasses and stared up at the mother gooses that were dangling from the shifting sky, he saw shepherds moving their flocks in from pastures on the walls and the little boy blue reclining against a haystack as he blew his horn, of Rockabye baby swinging in her treetop and Humpty Dumpty stationary on his wall and the three blind mice sizing up a huge grandfather clock.

A wretched sob welled up and broke from Ash's chest, with a shaky hand he covered his eyes and forced down the feelings of happiness and sorrow. Happiness that his children would soon bless this place and sorrow for the boy who hadn't known it. Ash immediately stood up from the chair and flashed himself out of the room, Tory moved out the shadow of the doorway, her own eyes damp and bright. She shook her head as she moved towards the rocking chair and sat in it, soaking up the warmth that Ash had left behind.

Styxx looked up when he saw the flash that announced Ash's arrival in his New York pent house, the instantaneous joy was also mixed with suspicion.

"Please don't tell me you need me to take a stroll back down to Kalosis to bring back your wife?"

Ash did not smile, "no," he said quietly then frowned at what Styxx was doing, "you paint?"

"Occasionally," Styxx answered, dabbing at the corner of the canvas which was beginning to resemble Central Park, with a difference.

"I think you need to paint with glasses on or something because there isn't an elephant in that park … At least not in that part."

"Not today anyway," Styxx said ambiguously, Ash quirked a brow at him, "I plan to set one loose in there before the end of the year."

"To what end?"

"My everlasting amusement."

Ash still didn't smile but the frown eased a little and Styxx felt his heart bleed, he wanted his brother to smile at him. Styxx cleared his throat quickly and blinked, he got up sprightly and walked into another room, Ash stood studying the painting. When he came back he was holding something carefully and tenderly wrapped in tissue paper. He held it out to Ash who took it, his frown replaced by surprise.

"Just don't tell Tory who gave it to you," Styxx warned, Ash opened the paper and felt his throat tighten. It was a solid silver statue moulded to look like two hands opened to reveal twin baby boys cuddled together. Carved into the index finger of each hand was an inscription in Atlantean: _Protect Thy Brother With Thy Life_.

Ash let his glasses slip down the bridge of his nose so his swirling silver eyes met with Styxx's startling blue ones. Before he could stop himself he gave into his need and reached out with one hand and wrapped it around the nape of Styxx's neck, he drew his brother forward and hugged him. Ash heard a deep, rasping sob escape Styxx and felt Styxx's arms encircle his midriff, Ash pulled back quickly and flashed himself back to the nursery. He pulled up short when he saw Tory there; she was standing before the mirror pushing her stomach out further. She turned with a smile then noticed his expression; crossing to him she reached up and slipped his glasses from his face. Ash lowered his head to hers and pressed his lips to her mouth, needing the comfort she offered him. His kiss was desperate and almost fearful; Tory drew back and looked down at his hands. Ash let her take the gift from him and watched her expression turn stony a moment before she let out a resigned sigh. Tory wasn't dumb, she knew who it was from, who could give such a poignant gift with such a poignant message. She turned and walked over to the crib, there was a small table beside it on which she placed it, next to a music box that was Tory's mother's, she opened it and it played an old Greek folksong. She turned and smiled at Ash, before coming forward and taking his hand and placing it over his sons.

"A new beginning for us all," she whispered in Atlantean, overjoyed when she saw a real smile grace her husbands face.


End file.
